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ECLECTIC  SCHOOL  READINGS 


STORY    OF    ^NEAS 


BY 


M.   CLARKE 

Author  of  "Story  of  Troy,"  "Story  of  C^sar." 


NEW   YORK    :    CINCINNATI    :    CHICAGO 
AMERICAN  BOOK  COMPANY 


^v 


Copyright,  1898,  by 
AMERICAN  BOOK   COMPANY. 

Story  of  ^neas. 
W.  P.   I 


fy    I 


J-   f  :  *  ->^  ' 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

INTRODUCTION—    I.     Vergil,  The  Prince  of  Poets     ...  7 

II.     The  Gods  and  Goddesses      .     .     .     .  ii 

I.     The  Wooden  Horse i? 

II.     ^neas  leaves  Troy  —  The  Harpies  —  Prophesy  of  Hel- 

enus  —  The  Giant  Polyphemus 35 

^\\\.     A  Great  Storm  —  Arrival  in  Carthage 52 

^^  IV.     Dido's  Love  —  The  Funeral  Games  —  Ships  burned  by 

the  Women 68 

\/^V.     The    Sibyl   of   Cum^  —  The   Golden   Bough — In   the 

Regions  of  the  Dead 87 

VI.     ^neas  arrives  IN  Latium — Welcomed  BY  King  Latinus  103 
VII.     Alliance    with    Evander  —  Vulcan    makes    Arms   for 

iENEAS  —  The  Famous  Shield 122 

VIII.     Turnus  ATTACKS  THE  Trojan  Camp  —  Nisus  and  Euryalus  141 
\/    IX.     The  Council  of  the  Gods  — Return  of  .^neas—  Battle 

ON  THE  Shore  —  Death  of  Pallas 158 

/     X.     Funeral  OF  Pallas  —  ^neas  and"  Turnus  Fight — Tur- 
nus IS  SLAIN       174 


,  /_ 


^.  ■      r.l^     z'^'-      - 


> 
INTRODUCTION. 


I.    VERGIL,    THE    PRINCE    OF    LATIN    POETS. 

The  story  of  i4i-ne'as,  as  related  by  the  Roman 
poet  Ver'gil  in  his  celebrated  poem  called  the 
^-ne'id,  which  we  are  to  tell  about  in  this  book,  is 
one  of  the  most  interesting  of  the  myths  or  legends 
that  have  come  down  to  us  from  ancient  authors. 

Vergil  lived  in  the  time  of  the  Roman  Emperor 
Au-gus'tus  (63  B.  c. —  14  A.  D.),  grand-nephew  and 
successor  of  Ju'li-us  Cas'sar.  Augustus  and  his 
chief  counsellor  or  minister  Ma^-ce'nas,  gave  great 
encouragement  to  learning  and  learned  men,  and 
under  their  liberal  patronage  arose  a  number  of 
eminent  writers  to  whose  works  has  been  given  the 
name  of  classics,  as  being  of  the  highest  rank  or 
class.  The  period  is  known  as  the  Augustan  Age, 
a  phrase  also  used  in  reference  to  periods  in  the 
history  of  other  countries,  in  which  literature  reached 
its  highest  perfection.  Thus  the  reign  of  Queen 
Anne  (1702-  1714)  is  called  the  Augustan  age  of 
English  literature,  because  of  the  number  of  literary 

[7] 


8 

men  who  flourished  in  England  in  that  period,  and 
the  excellence  of  their  works. 

Vergil  was  the  greatest  of  the  poets  of  ancient 
Rome,  and  with  the  exception  of  Ho'mer,  the 
greatest  of  the  poets  of  antiquity.  From  a  very 
early  period,  almost  from  the  age  in  which  he  lived, 
he  was  called  the  Prince  of  Latin  Poets.  His  full 
name  was  Publi-us  Ver-gil'l-us  Ma'ro.  He  was 
born  about  seventy  years  before  Christ,  in  the  vil- 
lage of  An'des  (now  Pi-e'to-le),  near  the  town  of 
Man'tu-a  in  the  north  of  Italy.  His  father  was  the 
owner  of  a  small  estate,  which  he  farmed  himself. 
Though  of  moderate  means,  he  gave  his  son  a  good 
education.  Young  Vergil  spent  his  boyhood  at 
school  at  Cre-mo'na  and  Milan.  He  completed  his 
studies  at  Naples,  where  he  read  the  Greek  and 
Latin  authors,  and  acquired  a  knowledge  of  mathe- 
matics, natural  philosophy,  and  medical  science. 
He  afterwards  returned  to  Mantua,  and  resided  there 
for  a  few  years,  enjoying  the  quiet  of  country  life  at 
the  family  homestead. 

About  this  time  the  Emperor  Augustus  was 
engaged  in  a  war  against  a  powerful  party  of  his 
own  countrymen,  led  by  a  famous  Roman  named 
Bru'tus.  In  the  year  42  b.  c.  he  defeated  Brutus  in 
a  great  battle,  which  put  an  end  to  the  war.  He 
afterwards  rewarded  many  of  his  troops  by  dividing 


among  them  lands  in  the  neighborhood  of  Mantua, 
and  in  other  parts  of  Italy,  dispossessing  the  owners 
for  having  sided  with  his  enemies.  Though  Vergil 
had  taken  no  part  in  the  struggle,  his  farm  was 
allotted  to  one  of  the  imperial  soldiers.  But  this 
was  the  beginning  of  his  greatness.  Through  the 
friendship  of  the  governor  of  Mantua,  he  was  intro- 
duced to  Mscenas,  and  afterwards  to  Augustus,  who 
gave  orders  that  his  property  should  be  restored 
to  him. 

Thus  Vergil  became  known  to  the  first  men  of 
Rome.  He  expressed  his  gratitude  to  the  emperor 
in  one  of  a  series  of  poems  called  Pastorals  or 
Bu-corics,  words  which  mean  shepherds'  songs,  or 
songs  descriptive  of  life  in  the  country.  These 
poems,  though  among  Vergil's  earliest  productions, 
were  highly  applauded  in  Rome.  They  were  so 
much  esteemed  that  portions  of  them  were  recited 
in  the  theatre  in  the  author's  presence,  and  the 
audience  were  so  delighted  that  they  all  rose  to  their 
feet,  an  honor  which  it  was  customary  to  pay  only  to 
Augustus  himself.  Vergil  also  wrote  a  poem  called 
the  Geor'gics,  the  subject  of  which  is  agriculture, 
the  breeding  of  cattle,  and  the  culture  of  bees. 
This  is  said  to  be  the  most  perfect  in  finish  of 
all  Latin  compositions.  The  ALneid  is,  however, 
regarded  as  the  greatest  of  Vergil's  works.     The 


10 

writing  of  it  occupied  the  last  eleven  years  of  the 
poet's  Hfe. 

Vergil  died  at  Brun-di'si-um,  in  south  Italy,  in 
the  fifty- first  year  of  his  age.  He  was  buried  near 
Naples,  by  the  side  of  the  public  road,  a  few  miles 
outside  that  city,  where  what  is  said  to  be  his  tomb 
is  still  to  be  seen.  Of  his  character  as  a  man  we 
are  enabled  to  form  an  agreeable  idea  from  all  that 
is  known  about  him.  He  was  modest,  gentle  and 
of  a  remarkable  sweetness  of  disposition.  Although 
living  in  the  highest  society  while  in  Rome,  he  never 
foro'ot  his  old  friends.  He  was  a  dutiful  and  affec- 
tionate  son,  and  liberally  shared  his  good  fortune 
with  his  aged  parents. 

As  a  poet,  Vergil  was  not  only  the  greatest  that 
Rome  produced,  but  the  most  popular.  His  poems, 
particularly  the  yEneid,  were  the  favorite  reading  of 
his  countrymen.  They  became  a  text-book  in  the 
Roman  schools.  The  "  little  Romans,"  we  are  told, 
studied  the  y4ineid  from  their  master's  dictation, 
and  wrote  compositions  upon  its  heroes.  And  not 
alone  in  Italy  but  throughout  the  world  wherever 
learning  extended,  the  Mneid  became  popular,  and 
has  retained  its  popularity  down  to  our  own  time, 
being  still  a  text-book  in  every  school  where  Latin 
is  tauQ^ht. 

There    are    many   excellent    translations    of   the 


II 

yEneid  into  English.  In  this  book  we  make 
numerous  quotations  from  the  translation  by  the 
English  poet  Dryden,  and  from  the  later  work  by 
the  eminent  Latin  scholar  Conington. 

SPELLING    OF   THE    POET's    NAME. 

The  spelling  of  the  poet's  name  adopted  in  this  book  is 
now  believed  to  be  preferable  to  the  form  V/rgil  which  has 
for  a  long  time  been  in  common  use.  Many  of  the  best 
Latin  scholars  are  of  opinion  that  the  proper  spelling  is 
Vergil  from  the  Latin  Vi?rgilius,  as  the  poet  himself  wrote 
it.  "  As  to  the  fact,"  says  Professor  Frieze,  "  that  the  poet 
called  himself  Vergilius,  scholars  are  now  universally  agreed. 
It  is  the  form  found  in  all  the  earliest  manuscripts  and 
inscriptions.  Li  England  and  America  the  corrected  Latin 
form  is  used  by  all  the  best  authorities.' 


II.   THE  GODS  AND  GODDESSES. 

It  is  said  that  Vergil  wrote  the  yEneid  at  the 
request  of  the  Emperor  Augustus,  whose  family  — 
the  Ju'li-i  —  claimed  the  honor  of  being  descended 
from  iEneas,  through  his  son  I-ulus  or  Ju'lus.  All 
the  Romans,  indeed,  were  fond  of  claiming  descent 
from  the  heroes  whom  tradition  told  of  as  havino^ 
landed  in  Italy  with  ^neas  after  escaping  from  the 
ruins  of  Troy.  The  city  of  Troy,  or  Il'i-um,  so  cele- 
brated in  ancient  song  and  story,  was  situated  on  the 
coast  of  Asia  Minor,  not  far  from  the  entrance  to 
what  is  now  the  Sea  of  Mar'mo-ra.  It  was  besieged 
for  ten  years  by  a  vast  army  of  the  Greeks  (natives 


12 

of  Greece  or  Hel'las)  under  one  of  their  kings  called 
Ag-a-mem'non.  Homer,  the  greatest  of  the  ancient 
poets,  tells  about  this  siege  in  his  famous  poem,  the 
iri-ad.  We  shall  see  later  on  how  the  siege  was 
brought  to  an  end  by  the  capture  and  destruction 
of  the  city,  as  well  as  how  /Eneas  escaped,  and  what 
afterwards  happened  to  him  and  his  companions. 

Meanwhile  we  must  learn  something  about  the 
gods  and  goddesses  who  play  so  important  a  part 
in  the  story.  At  almost  every  stage  of  the  adven- 
tures of  yEneas,  as  of  the  adventures  of  all  ancient 
heroes,  we  find  a  god  or  a  goddess  controlling  or 
directing  affairs,  or  in  some  way  mixed  up  with  the 
course  of  events. 

Accordino[  to  the  reliction  of  the  ancient  Greeks 
and  Romans  there  were  a  great  many  gods.  They 
believed  that  all  parts  of  the  universe  —  the  heavens 
and  the  earth,  the  sun  and  the  moon,  the  seas  and 
rivers,  and  storms  —  were  ruled  by  different  gods. 
Those  beings  it  was  supposed,  were  in  some  respects 
like  men  and  women.  They  needed  food  and  drink 
and  sleep ;  they  married  and  had  children  ;  and  like 
poor  mortals  they  often  had  quarrels  among  them- 
selves. Their  food  was  am-bro'si-a,  which  gave  them 
immortality  and  perpetual  youth,  and  their  drink 
was  a  delicious  wine  called  nectar. 

The  gods  often  visited  men  and  even  accepted 


13 

their  hospitality.  Sometimes  they  married  human 
beings,  and  the  sons  of  such  marriages  were  the 
demigods  or  heroes  of  antiquity.  JEneas  was  one 
of  those  heroes,  his  mother  being  the  goddess 
Ve'nus,  of  whom  we  shall  hear  much  in  the  course 
of  our  Story. 

Though  the  gods  never  died,  being  immortal,  they 
might  be  wounded  and  suffer  bodily  pain  like  men. 
They  often  took  part  in  the  quarrels  and  wars  of 
people  on  earth,  and  they  had  weapons  and  armor, 
after  the  manner  of  earthly  warriors.  But  they 
were  vastly  superior  to  men  in  strength  and  power. 
They  could  travel  through  the  skies,  or  upon  land 
or  ocean,  with  the  speed  of  lightning,  and  they  could 
change  themselves  into  any  form,  or  make  them- 
selves visible  or  invisible  at  pleasure. 

The  usual  residence  of  the  principal  gods  was 
on  the  top  of  Mount  O-lym'pus,  in  Greece.  Here 
they  had  golden  palaces  and  a  chamber  where  they 
held  grand  banquets  at  which  celestial  music  was 
rendered  by  A-pol'lo,  the  god  of  minstrelsy,  and 
the  Muses,  who  were  the  divinities  of  poetry  and 
song. 

Splendid  temples  were  erected  to  the  gods  in  all 
the  chief  cities,  where  they  were  worshiped  with 
many  ceremonies.  Valuable  gifts  in  gold  and  silver 
were  presented  at  their  shrines,  and  at  their  altars 


14 

animals  were  killed  and  portions  of  the  flesh  burned 
as  sacrifices.  Such  offerings  were  thought  to  be 
very  pleasing  to  the  gods. 

The'  head  or  king  of  the  gods  was  Ju'pi-ter,  also 
called  Jove  or  Zeus.  He  was  the  great  Thunderer, 
at  whose  word  the  heavens  trembled. 

He,  whose  all  conscious  eyes  the  world  behold, 
The  eternal  Thunderer  sat  enthroned  in  gold. 
High  heaven  the  footstool  of  his  feet  he  makes, 
And  wide  beneath  him  all  Olympus  shakes. 

Homer,  Iliad^  Book  VIII. 

The  wife  of  Jupiter,  and  the  queen  of  heaven, 
was  Ju'no,  who,  as  we  shall  see,  persecuted  the  hero 
^neas  with  "unrelenting  hate."  Nep'tune,  repre- 
sented as  bearing  in  his  hand  a  trident,  or  three- 
pronged  fork,  was  the  god  of  the  sea. 

Neptune,  the  mighty  marine  god, 

Earth's  mover,  and  the  fruitless  ocean's  king. 

Homer. 

Mars  was  the  god  of  war,  and  Plu'to,  often  called 
Dis  or  Ha'des,  was  the  god  of  the  lower  or  "  infer- 
nal "  regions,  and  hence  also  the  god  of  the  dead. 
One  of  the  most  orlorious  and  beautiful  of  the  orods 
was  Apollo,  god  of  the  sun,  of  medicine,  music, 
poetry,  and  all  fine  arts. 

Bright-hair'd  Apollo!  —  thou  who  ever  art 
A  blessing  to  the  world  —  whose  mighty  heart 


Draw II  by  Blashjleld. 


A  Roman  Augur. 


(15) 


i6 

Forever  pours  out  love,  and  light,  and  life; 
Thou,  at  whose  glance,  all  things  of  earth  are  rife 
With  happiness. 

Pike. 

Another  of  the  famous  divinities  of  the  ancients 
was  Venus,  the  goddess  of  beauty  and  love. 
According  to  some  of  the  myths  she  was  the  daugh- 
ter of  Jupiter.  Others  say  that  she  sprang  from  the 
foam  of  the  sea. 

These  and  countless  other  imaginary  beings  were 
believed  in  as  deities  under  the  religious  system  of 
the  ancient  Greeks  and  Romans,  and  every  unusual 
or  striking  event  was  thought  to  be  caused  by  some 
god  or  goddess. 

The  will  of  the  gods,  it  was  supposed,  was  made 
known  to  men  in  different  ways  —  by  dreams,  by  the 
flight  of  birds,  or  by  a  direct  message  from  Olym- 
pus, Very  often  it  was  learned  by  consulting 
seers,  augurs  or  soothsayers.  These  were  persons 
believed  to  have  the  power  of  prophecy.  There 
was  a  famous  temple  of  Apollo  at  Delphi,  in  Greece, 
where  a  priestess  called  Pyth'i-a  gave  answers,  or 
oracles,  to  those  who  came  to  consult  her.  The 
name  oracle  was  also  applied  to  the  place  where  such 
answers  were  received.  There  were  a  great  many 
oracles  in  ancient  times,  but  that  at  Delphi  was  the 
most  celebrated. 


STORY   OF  ^NEAS. 


I.     THE  WOODEN   HORSE. 

The  gods,  of  course,  had  much  to  do  with  the 
siege  and  fall  of  Troy,  as  well  as  with  the  sufferings 
of  yT^neas,  which  Vergil  describes  in  the  ^neido 
There  were  gods  and  goddesses  on  both  sides  in 
the  great  conflict.  Some  were  for  the  Tro'jans, 
others  for  the  Greeks,  and  some  had  their  favorites 
among  the  heroes  and  warriors  who  fought  on  one 
side  or  the  other.  Two  very  powerful  goddesses, 
Juno  and  Mi-ner'va  (the  goddess  of  wisdom,  also 
called  Pal'las),  hated  the  Trojans  because  of  the 
famous  "judgment  of  Pa'ris,"  which  came  about  in 
this  way  — . 

A  kinor  of  Athens  named  Pe'leus  married  a  beau- 
tiful  sea-nymph  named  The'tis.  All  the  gods  and 
goddesses  were  present  at  the  wedding  feast  except 
E'ris,  the  goddess  of  discord.  She  was  not  invited, 
and  being  angry  on  that  account,  she  resolved  to 
cause    dissension    amonof    the    [juests.     With    this 

STO.   OF  ^NEAS — 2  [17] 


i8 


object  she  threw  into"  the  midst  of  the  assembly  a 
golden  apple  bearing  the  inscription,  "  For  the  most 
beautiful."  Immediately  a  dispute  arose  as  to  which 
of  the  goddesses  was  entitled  to  the  prize,  but  at 
last  all  gave  Up  their  claim  except  Juno,  Venus,  and 
Minerva,  and  they  agreed  to  leave  the  settlement  of 
the  question  to  Paris,  son  of  Pri'am,  King  of  Troy, 
a  young  prince  who  was  noted  for  the  wisdom  of  his 
judgments  upon  several  occasions. 

The  three  goddesses  soon  afterwards  appeared 
before  Paris,  and  each  endeavored  by  the  offer  of 
tempting  bribes,  to  induce  him  to  decide  in  her 
favor.     Juno  promised  him  great  power  and  wealth. 

She  to  Paris  made 
Proffer  of  royal  power,  ample  rule 
Unquestion'd. 


Tennyson. 


Minerva  offered  military  glory,  and  Venus  prom- 
ised that  she  would  give  him  the  most  beautiful 
woman  in  the  world  for  his  wife.  After  hearine 
their  claims  and  promises,  Paris  gave  the  apple  to 
Venus.  This  award  or  judgment  brought  upon 
him  and  his  family,  and  all  the  Trojans,  the  hatred  of 
the  two  other  goddesses,  particularly  of  Juno,  who, 
being  the  queen  of  heaven,  had  expected  that  the 
preference,  as  a  matter  of  course,  would  be  ojveii 
to  her. 


19 

But  besides  the  judgment  of  Paris,  there  was 
another  cause  of  Juno's  anger  against  Troy.  She 
had  heard  of  a  decree  of  the  Fates  that  a  race 
descended  from  the  Trojans  was  one  day  to  destroy 
Carthage,  a  city  in  which  she  was  worshipped  with 
much  honor,  and  which  she  regarded  with  great 
affection.  She  therefore  hated  /Eneas,  through 
whom,  as  the  ancestor  of  the  founders  of  Rome,  the 
destruction  of  her  beloved  city  was  to  be  brought 
about. 

On  account  of  this  hatred  of  the  Trojans,  Juno 
persuaded  her  royal  husband,  Jupiter,  to  consent  to 
the  downfall  of  Troy,  and  so  the  valor  of  .all  its 
heroic  defenders,  of  whom  ^neas  was  one,  could 
not  save  it  from  its  fate,  decreed  by  the  king  of  the 
gods.  Many  famous  warriors  fell  during  the  long 
siege.  Hec'tor,  son  of  Priam,  the  greatest  of  the 
Trojan  champions,  was  slain  by  A-chiHes,  the  most 
valiant  of  the  Greeks,  and  Achilles  was  himself 
slain  by  Paris.  After  losing  their  bravest  leader  the 
Greeks  despaired  of  being  able  to  take  the  city  by 
force,  and  so  they  resorted  to  stratagem.  By  the 
advice  of  Minerva  they  erected  a  huge  horse  of 
wood  on  the  plain  in  front  of  the  walls,  and  within 
its  body  they  placed  a  chosen  band  of  their  boldest 
warriors.  Then  pretending  that  they  had  given  up 
the   struggle,  they  withdrew  to  their  ships,  and  set 


20 

sail,  as  if  with  the  purpose  of  returning  to  Greece. 
But  they  went  no  further  than  Ten'e-dos,  an  island 
opposite  Troy,  a  few  miles  from  the  coast. 

"  There  was  their  fleet  concealed.     We  thought  for  Greece 
Their  sails  were  hoisted,  and  our  fears  release. 
The  Trojans,  cooped  within  their  walls  so  long. 
Unbar  their  gates  and  issue  in  a  throng 
Like  swarming  bees,  and  with  delight  survey 
The  camp  deserted,  where  the  Grecians  lay: 
The  quarters  of  the  several  chiefs  they  showed: 
Here  Phoe'nix,  here  Achilles,  made  abode; 
Here  joined  the  battles;  there  the  navy  rode. 
Part  on  the  pile  their  wandering  eyes  employ  — 
The  pile  by  Pallas  raised  to  ruin  Troy." 

Dkyden,  yEneidy  Book  II. 

The  Trojans  when  they  saw  the  big  horse,  could 
not  think  what  it  meant,  or  what  should  be  done 
with  it.  Various  opinions  were  given.  Some 
thought  it  was  a  peace  offering,  and  one  chief  pro- 
posed that  it  should  be  dragged  within  the  walls 
md  placed  in  the  citadel.  Others  advised  that  it 
should  be  cast  into  the  sea,  or  set  on  fire,  or  at  least 
that  they  ought  to  burst  it  open  to  find  whether 
anything  were  concealed  within.  While  they  were 
thus  discussing  the  matter,  some  urging  one  course, 
some  another,  the  priest  La-oc'o-on  rushed  out  from 
the  city  followed  by  a  great  crowd,  and  he 
exclaimed  in  a  loud  voice :  "  Unhappy  fellow-coun- 


21 


trymen,  what  madness  is  this  ?  Are  you  so  fooHsh 
as  to  suppose  that  the  enemy  are  gone,  or  that  any 
offering  of  theirs  can  be  free  from  deception  ?  Either 
Greeks  are  hidden  in  this  horse,  or  it  is  an  engine 
designed  for  some  evil  to  our  city.  Put  no  faith  in 
it,  Trojans.  Whatever  it  is,  I  fear  the  Greeks  even 
when  they  tender  gifts."  Thus  speaking,  Laocoon 
hurled  his  spear  into  the  horse's  side. 

His  mighty  spear  he  cast: 
Quivering  it  stood:   the  sharp  rebound 
Shook  the  huge  monster:  and  a  sound 
Through  all  its  caverns  passed. 

CoNlNGTON,  /Eneid^  Book  II. 

But  at  this  point  the  attention  of  the  multitude 
was  attracted  by  the  appearance  of  a  group  of 
Trojan  shepherds  dragging  along  a  prisoner  with 
his  hands  bound  behind  his  back,  who,  they  said, 
had  delivered  himself  up  to  them  of  his  own  accord. 
Being  taken  before  King  Priam,  and  questioned  as 
to  who  he  was  and  whence  he  came,  the  stranger 
told  an  artful  story.  He  was  a  Greek,  he  said,  and 
his  name  was  Si'non.  His  countrymen  had  long 
been  weary  of  the  war,  and  had  often  resolved  to 
return  home,  but  were  hindered  by  storms  from 
making  the  attempt.  And  when  the  wooden  horse 
was  built,  the  tempests  raged  and  the  thunder 
rolled  more  than  ever. 


22 

"  Chiefly  when  completed  stood 
This  horse,  compact  of  maple  wood, 
Fierce  thunders,  pealing  in  our  ears, 
Proclaimed  the  turmoil  of  the  spheres." 

CoNiNGTON,  ^fteiri.  Book  II. 

Then  the  Greeks  sent  a  messenger  to  the  shrine 
of  Apollo  to  inquire  how  they  might  obtain  a  safe 
passage  to  their  country.  The  answer  was  that  the 
life  of  a  Greek  must  be  sacrificed  on  the  altar  of  the 
god.  All  were  horror-stricken  by  this  announce- 
ment, for  each  feared  that  the  doom  might  fall 
upon  himself. 

"  Through  every  heart  a  shudder  ran, 
'  Apollo's  victim  —  who  the  man?'  " 

CONINGTON,  yS«t'/i/,   BoOK  II. 

The  selection  of  the  person  to  be  the  victim  was 
left  to  CaFchas,  the  soothsayer,  who  fixed  upon 
Sinon,  and  preparations  were  accordingly  made  to 
sacrifice  him  on  the  altar  of  Apollo,  but  he  contrived 
to  escape  and  conceal  himself  until  the  Grecian 
fleet  had  sailed. 

"  I  fled,  I  own  it,  from  the  knife, 
I  broke  my  bands  and  ran  for  life, 
And  in  a  marish  lay  that  night 
While  they  should  sail,  if  sail  they  might." 

CoNiNGTON,  A£neid,  Book  II. 

This  was  Sinon's  story.     The  Trojans  believed  it 


23 

and  King  Priam  ordered  the  prisoner  to  be  released, 
and  promised  to  give  him  protection  in  Troy.  "  But 
tell  me,"  said  the  king,  "why  did  they  make  this 
horse  ?  Was  it  for  a  religious  purpose  or  as  an 
engine  of  war?"  The  treacherous  Sinon  answered 
that  the  horse  was  intended  as  a  peace  offering  to 
the  gods ;  that  it  had  been  built  on  the  advice  of 
Calchas,  who  had  directed  that  it  should  be  made 
of  immense  size  so  that  the  Trojans  should  not  be 
able  to  drag  it  within  their  walls,  "for,"  said  he, 
"if  the  men  of  Troy  do  any  injury  to  the  gift,  evil 
will  come  upon  the  kingdom  of  Priam,  but  if  they 
bring  it  into  their  city,  all  Asia  will  make  war 
against  Greece,  and  on  our  children  will  come  the 
destruction   which   we  would    have    brought    upon 

roy. 

The  Trojans  believed  this  story  also,  and  their 
belief  was  strengthened  by  the  terrible  fate  which 
just  then  befell  Laocoon,  who  a  little  before  had 
pierced  the  side  of  the  horse  with  his  spear.  While 
the  priest  and  his  two  sons  were  offering  a  sacrifice 
to  Neptune  on  the  shore,  two  enormous  serpents 
suddenly  issued  from  the  sea  and  seized  and  crushed 
them  to  death  in  sight  of  the  people.  The  Trojans 
were  filled  with  fear  and  astonishment  at  this  specta- 
cle, and  they  regarded  the  event  as  a  punishment 
from  the  gods  upon  Laocoon 


24 

Who  dared  to  harm  with  impious  steel 
Those  planks  of  consecrated  deal. 

CoNiNGTON,  Mneid,  Book  II. 

Then  a  cry  arose  that  the  "  peace  offering  "  should 
be  conveyed  into  the  city,  and  accordingly  a  great 
breach  was  made  in  the  walls  that  for  ten  years  had 
resisted  all  the  assaults  of  the  Greeks,  and  by  means 
of  rollers  attached  to  its  feet,  and  ropes  tied  around 
its  limbs,  the  horse  was  dragged  into  the  citadel,  the 
young  men  and  maidens  singing  songs  of  triumph. 
But  in  the  midst  of  the  rejoicing  there  were  portents 
of  the  approaching  evil.  Four  times  the  huge  figure 
halted  on  the  threshold  of  the  gate,  and  four  times 
it  gave  forth  a  sound  from  within,  as  if  of  the  clash 
of  arms. 

"  Four  times  'twas  on  the  threshold  stayed: 
Four  times  the  armor  clashed  and  brayed. 
Yet  on  we  press  with  passion  blind, 
All  forethought  blotted  from  our  mind. 
Till  the  dread  monster  we  install 
Within  the  temple's  tower-built  wall." 

CoNiNGTON,  Mneid^  Book  II. 

The  prophetess  Cas-san'dra,  too,  the  daughter  of 
King  Priam,  had  warned  her  countrymen  of  the 
doom  that  was  certain  to  fall  upon  the  city  if  the 
horse  were  admitted.  Her  warning  was,  however, 
disregarded.     The  fateful  gift  of  the  Greeks   was 


25 

placed  in  the  citadel,  and  the  Trojans,  thinking  that 
their  troubles  were  now  over,  and  that  the  enemy 
had  departed  to  return  no  more,  spent  the  rest  of  the 
day  in  feasting  and  rejoicing. 

But  in  the  dead  of  the  night,  when  they  were  all 
sunk  in  sleep,  the  Greek  fleet  sailed  back  from 
Tenedos,  and  on  King  Agamemnon's  ship  a  bright 
light  was  shown,  which  was  the  signal  to  the  false 
Sinon  to  complete  his  work  of  treachery.  Quickly 
he  "  unlocked  the  horse  "  and  forth  from  their  hiding 
place  came  the  armed  Greek  warriors.  Among 
them  were  the  famous  U-lys''ses,  and  Ne-op-tore-mus, 
son  of  the  brave  Achilles,  and  Men-e-la'us,  hus- 
band of  the  celebrated  Hel'en  whom  Paris,  son  of/ 
Priam,  had  carried  off  from  Greece,  which  was  the 
cause  of  the  war.  Ulysses  and  his  companions  then 
rushed  to  the  walls,  and  after  slaying  the  sentinels, 
threw  open  the  gates  of  the  city  to  the  main  body  of 
the  Greeks  who  had  by  this  time  landed  from  their 
ships.     Thus  Troy  was  taken. 

And  the  long  baffled  legions,  bursting  in 

Through  gate  and  bastion,  blunted  sword  and  spear 

With  unresisted  slaughter. 

Lewis  Morris. 

Meanwhile  /Eneas, 'sleeping  in  the  house  of  his 
father,  An-chi'ses,  had  a  dream  in  which  the  ghost 
of  Hector  appeared  to  him,  shedding  abundant  tears, 


26 

and  disfigured  with  wounds  as  when  he  had  been 
dragged  around  the  walls  of  Troy  behind  the  chariot 
of  the  victorious  Achilles.  In  a  mournful  voice, 
^neas,  seeming  to  forget  that  Hector  was  dead, 
inquired  why  he  had  been  so  long  absent  from  the 
defense  of  his  native  city,  and  from  what  distant 
shores  he  had  now  returned.  But  the  spirit  answered 
only  by  a  solemn  warning  to  /Entas,  the  "goddess- 
born  "  (being  the  son  of  Venus)  to  save  himself  by 
immediate  flifjht. 

"  O  goddess-born  !  escape  by  timely  flight, 
The  flames  and  horrors  of  this  fatal  night. 
The  foes  already  have  possessed  the  wall  ; 
Troy  nods  from  high,  and  totters  to  her  fall. 
Enough  is  paid  to  Priam's  royal  name, 
More  than  enough  to  duty  and  to  fame. 
If  by  a  mortal  hand  my  father's  throne 
Could  be  defended,  'twas  by  mine  alone. 
Now  Troy  to  thee  commends  her  future  state, 
And  gives  her  gods  companions  of  thy  fate  ; 
From  their  assistance,  happier  walls  expect, 
Which,  wand'ring  long,  at  last  thou  shalt  erect." 

Dryden,  jEneid,  Book  II. 

Awaking  from  his  sleep,  ^neas  was  startled  by 
the  clash  of  arms  and  by  cries  of  battle,  which  he 
now  heard  on  all  sides.  Rushing  to  the  roof  of  the 
house  and  gazing  around,  he  saw  the  palaces  of 
many  of  the  Trojan  princes  in  flames,  and  he  heard 


the  shouts  of  the  victorious  Greeks,  and  the  blaring 
of  their  trumpets.  Notwithstanding  the  warning  of 
Hector,  he  ran  for  his  weapons. 

Resolved  on  death,  resolved  to  die  in  arms, 
But  first  to  gather  friends,  with  them  to  oppose 
(If  fortune  favored)  and  repel  the  foes. 

Drvden,  yEncid,  Book  II. 

At  the  door,  as  he  was  going  forth  to  join  the 
combat,  he  met  the  Trojan  Pan'thus,  a  priest  of 
Apollo,  who  had  just  escaped  by  flight  from  the 
swords  of  the  Greeks.  In  reply  to  the  questions  of 
yEneas,  the  priest  told  him,  in  words  of  grief  and 
despair,  that  Troy's  last  day  had  come. 

"  'Tis  come,  our  fated  day  of  death. 
We  have  been  Trojans  ;   Troy  has  been  ; 
She  sat,  but  sits  no  more,  a  queen  ; 
Stern  Jove  an  Argive  rule  proclaims  ; 
Greece  holds  a  city  wrapt  in  flames. 
There  in  the  bosom  of  the  town 
The  tall  horse  rains  invasion  down, 
And  Sinon,  with  a  conqueror's  pride. 
Deals  fiery  havoc  far  and  wide. 
Some  keep  the  gates,  as  vast  a  host 
As  ever  left  Myce'nae's  coast ; 
Some  block  the  narrows  of  the  street. 
With  weapons  threatening  all  they  meet ; 
The  stark  sword  stretches  o'er  the  way, 
Quick-glancing,  ready  drawn  to  slay. 


28 

While  scarce  our  sentinels  resist, 
And  battle  in  the  flickering  mist." 

CoNiNGTON,  j^neid.  Book  II. 

As  Panthus  ceased  speaking,  several  Trojan 
chiefs  came  up,  and  eagerly  joined  yEneas  in  resolv- 
ing to  make  a  last  desperate  attempt  to  save  their 
native  city.  Together  they  rushed  into  the  thick  of 
the  fight.  Some  were  slain,  and  some  with  ^Eneas 
succeeded  in  forcing  their  way  to  the  palace  of  King 
Priam,  where  a  fierce  struggle  was  then  raging. 
Entering  by  a  secret  door,  ^neas  climbed  to  the 
roof,  from  which  he  and  the  other  brave  defenders 
of  the  palace  hurled  stones  and  beams  of  wood  upon 
the  enemy  below.  But  all  their  heroic  efforts  were 
in  vain.  In  front  of  the  principal  gate,  battering 
upon  it  with  his  huge  battle-axe,  stood  Neoptolemus 
(also  called  Pyr'rhus)  the  son  of  Achilles.  Soon  its 
posts,  though  plated  with  bronze,  gave  way  before 
his  mighty  strokes,  and  a  great  breach  was  made, 
through  which  the  Greeks  poured  into  the  stately 
halls  of  the  Trojan  king.  Then  there  was  a  scene 
of  wild  confusion  and  terror. 

The  house  is  filled  with  loud  laments  and  cries 
And  shrieks  of  women  rend  the  vaulted  skies. 

Dryden,  ^neid.  Book  II. 

The  aged  king  when  he  saw  that  the  enemy  was 
beneath  his  roof,  put  on  his  armor  "long  disused," 


29 

and  was  about  to  rush  forth  to  meet  the  foe,  but 
Hec'u-ba,  his  queen,  persuaded  him  to  take  refuge 
with  her  in  a  court  of  the  palace  in  which  were 
placed  the  altars  of  their  gods.  Here  he  was  shortly 
afterwards  cruelly  slain  by  Pyrrhus. 

Thus  Priam  fell,  and  shared  one  common  fate 
With  Troy  in  ashes,  and  his  ruined  state  ; 
He,  who  the  scepter  of  all  Asia  swayed. 
Whom  monarchs  like  domestic  slaves  obeyed. 

Dryden,  yEneiri,  Book  II. 

There  being  now  no  hope  to  save  the  city,  the 
thoughts  of  y^neas  turned  to  his  own  home  where 
he  had  left  his  father  Anchises,  his  wife  Cre-u'sa 
(daughter  of  King  Priam)  and  his  son  lulus  (also 
named  As-ca'ni-us).  Making  his  way  thither  with 
the  purpose  of  providing  for  their  safety,  he  espied 
Helen,  the  "common  scourge  of  Greece  and  Troy," 
sitting  in  the  porch  of  the  temple  of  the  goddess 
Ves'ta.  Enraged  at  the  sight  of  the  woman  who 
had  been  the  cause  of  so  many  woes  to  his  country, 
^neas  was  about  to  slay  her  on  the  spot,  but  at 
that  moment  his  mother  Venus  appeared  to  him  in 
the  midst  of  a  bright  light. 

Great  in  her  charms,  as  when  on  gods  abov3 
She  looks,  and  breathes  herself  into  their  love. 

Dryden,  /Eneid,  Book  II, 


30 

Taking  the  hero  by  the  hand  as  he  was  in  the  act 
of  raising  his  sword  to  strike  Helen,  the  goddess 
thus  rebuked  him :  "  What  is  it  that  excites  your 
anger  now,  my  son  ?  Where  is  your  regard  for  me  ? 
Have  you  forgotten  your  father  Anchises  and  your 
wife  and  Httle  son  ?  They  would  have  been  killed 
by  the  Greeks  if  I  had  not  cared  for  them  and  saved 
them.  It  is  not  Helen  or  Paris  that  has  laid  low 
this  great  city  of  Troy,  but  the  wrath  of  the  gods. 
See  now,  for  I  will  take  away  the  mist  that  covers 
your  mortal  eyes;  see  how  Neptune  with  his  trident 
is  overthrowing  the  walls  and  rooting  up  the  city 
from  its  foundations;  and  how  Juno  stands  with 
spear  and  shield  in  the  Scae'an  Gate,  and  calls  fresh 
hosts  from  the  ships;  and  how  Pallas  sits  on  the 
height  with  the  storm-cloud  about  her;  and  how 
Father  Jupiter  himself  stirs  up  the  enemy  against 
Troy.  Fly,  therefore,  my  son.  I  myself  will  guard 
you  till  you  stand  before  your  father's  door." 

The  goddess  then  disappeared  and  ^neas  quickly 
proceeded  to  obey  her  command.  Hastening  home 
he  resolved  to  take  his  aged  father  to  a  place  of 
safety  in  the  hills  beyond  the  city,  but  the  old  man 
refused  to  go.  "  You,  who  are  young  and  strong," 
said  he,  "may  go,  but  I  shall  remain  here,  for  if  it 
had  been  the  will  of  the  gods  that  I  should  live, 
they  would  have  preserved  my  home." 


31 

•'  Now  leave  me:  be  your  farewell  said 
To  this  my  corpse,  and  count  me  dead." 

CoNlNGTON,  /Eneid,  BoOK  II. 

Nor  could  all  the  entreaties  of  his  son  and  wife 
move  him  from  his  resolution.  Then  i^neas,  in 
grief  and  despair,  was  about  to  rush  back  to  the 
battle,  which  still  raged  in  the  city,  preferring  to 
die  rather  than  to  go  and  leave  his  father  behind. 
But  at  this  moment  a  bright  flame  as  if  of  fire  was 
seen  to  play  around  the  head  of  the  boy  lulus,  and 
send  forth  beams  of  light.  Alarmed  as  well  as 
surprised  at  the  spectacle,  i^neas  was  about  to 
extinguish  the  flames  by  water,  when  Anchises 
cried  out  that  it  was  a  sign  from  heaven  that  he 
should  accompany  his  family  in  their  flight  from 
the  city. 

This  pretty  story,  it  is  said,  was  meant  by  Vergil 
as  a  compliment  to  Augustus,  the  idea  intended  to 
be  conveyed  being  that  the  seal  of  sovereign  power 
was  thus  early  set  upon  the  founder  of  the  great 
house  of  Julius. 

The  gods  seeming  thus  to  ordain  the  immediate 
departure  of  the  hero  and  his  family,  they  all  speedily 
set  forth,  ^neas  carrying  his  father  on  his  shoulders, 
while  lulus  walked  by  his  side,  and  Creusa  followed 
at  some  distance.  They  had  arranged  to  meet  at  a 
ruined  temple  outside  the  city,  where  they  were  to 


Drawn  by  I'arian. 

^Eneas  carrying  his  father  out  of  Troy. 

(32) 


35 

be  joined  by  their  servants,  but  when  they  reached 
the  place,  it  was  discovered  that  Creusa  had  disap- 
peared. Great  was  the  grief  of  ^neas.  In  agony 
he  hastened  back  to  the  city  in  search  of  his  wife. 
Coming  to  his  father's  palace,  he  found  it  already 
in  flames.  Then  he  hurried  on  through  the  streets, 
in  his  distress  calling  aloud  the  name  of  Creusa. 
Suddenly  her  figure  started  up  before  him,  larger 
than  when  in  life,  for  it  was  her  spirit  he  saw. 
Appalled  at  the  sight,  ^neas  stood  in  silence  gaz- 
ing at  the  apparition  while  it  thus  spoke: 

"  Beloved  husband,  why  do  you  give  way  to  grief? 
What  has  happened  is  by  the  decree  of  heaven.  It 
was  not  the  will  of  the  gods  that  I  should  accom- 
pany you.  You  have  a  long  journey  to  make,  and 
a  wide  extent  of  sea  to  cross,  before  you  reach  the 
shores  of  Hes-pe'ri-a,  where  the  Ti'ber  flows  in 
orentle  course  throuHi  the  rich  fields  of  a  warlike 
race.  There  prosperity  awaits  you,  and  you  shall 
take  to  yourself  a  wife  of  a  royal  line.  Weep  not 
for  me.  The  mother  of  the  gods  keeps  me  in  this 
land  to  serve  her.  And  now  farewell,  and  fail  not 
to  love  and  watch  over  our  son." 

Then  the  form  of  Creusa  melted  into  air,  and  the 
sorrowing  husband  returned  to  the  place  where  his 
father  and  son  awaited  him.  There  he  found  a 
number  of  his  fellow-citizens  prepared  to  follow  him 

STO.  OF  ^NEAS  —  3 


34 

into  exile.  They  first  took  refuge  in  the  forests  of 
Mount  rda,  not  far  from  the  ruined  city.  In  this 
place  they  spent  the  winter,  and  they  built  a  fleet  of 
ships  at  An-tan'dros,  a  coast  town  at  the  foot  of  the 
mountain. 

"Near  old  Antandros,  and  at  Ida's  foot, 
The  timber  of  the  sacred  groves  we  cut. 
And  build  our  fleet  —  uncertain  yet  to  find 
What  place  the  gods  for  our  repose  assigned." 

Dryden,  Mneid,  Book  III. 

It  is  remarkable  that  Vergil  does  not  tell  how 
Creusa  came  by  her  death.  Apparently  we  are  left 
to  infer  that  she  was  killed  by  the  Greeks. 


II.    .ENEAS  LEAVES  TROY  — THE  HARPIES  — 

PROPHECY  OF  HELENUS  — THE  GIANT 

POLYPHEMUS. 

In  the  early  days  of  summer — the  fleet  being  ready 
and  all  preparations  complete  —  Anchises  gave  the 
order  for  departure,  and  so  they  set  sail,  piously  car- 
rying with  them  the  images  of  their  household  gods 
and  of  the  "great  gods"  of  their  nation.  The  first 
land  they  touched  was  the  coast  of  Thrace,  not  far 
from  Troy.  yEneas  thought  he  would  build  a  city 
and  make  a  settlement  here,  as  the  country  had  been, 
from  early  times,  connected  by  ties  of  friendship 
with  his  own.  To  obtain  the  blessing  of  heaven 
on  an  undertaking  of  such  importance,  he  set  about 
performing  religious  services  in  honor  of  his  mother 
Venus  and  the  other  gods,  sacrificing  a  snow-white 
bull  as  an  offering  to  Jupiter.  Close  by  the  place 
there  happened  to  be  a  little  hill,  on  the  top  of 
which  was  a  grove  of  myrtle,  bristling  with  thick- 
clustering,  spear-like  shoots.  Wishing  to  have 
some  of  those  plants  to  decorate  his  altars,  yEneas 

[35] 


36 

pulled  one  up  from  the  ground,  whereupon  he 
beheld  drops  of  blood  oozing  from  the  torn  roots. 
Though  horrified  at  the  sight  he  plucked  another 
bough,  and  again  blood  oozed  out  as  before.  Then 
praying  to  the  gods  to  save  himself  and  his  people 
from  whatever  evil  there  might  be  in  the  omen, 
he  proceeded  to  tear  up  a  third  shoot,  when  from 
out  the  earth  at  his  feet  a  voice  uttered  these 
words : 

"  O,  y^neas  !  why  do  you  tear  an  unhappy  wretch  ? 
Spare  me,  now  that  I  am  in  my  grave;  forbear  to 
pollute  your  pious  hands.  It  is  from  no  tree-trunk 
that  the  blood  comes.  Quit  this  barbarous  land 
with  all  speed.  Know  that  I  am  Pol-y-do'rus.  Here 
I  was  slain  l^y  many  arrows,  which  have  taken  root 
and  grown  into  a  tree." 

Deep  was  the  horror  of  /Eneas  while  he  listened 
to  this  dreadful  story,  for  he  knew  that  Polyclorus 
was  one  of  the  younger  sons  of  Priam.  Early  in  the 
war,  his  father,  fearing  that  the  Trojans  might  be 
defeated,  had  sent  him  for  protection  to  the  court  of 
the  kins:  of  Thrace.  At  the  same  time  he  sent  the 
greater  part  of  his  treasures,  including  a  large  sum  of 
money,  to  be  taken  care  of  by  the  king  till  the  war 
should  be  over.  But  as  soon  as  the  Thracian  mon- 
arch heard  of  the  fall  of  Troy  he  treacherously  slew 
the  young  prince  and  seized  all  his  father's  treasure. 


37 

False  to  divine  and  human  laws,' 
The  traitor  joins  the  conqueror's  cause, 
Lays  impious  hands  on  Polydore, 
And  grasps  by  force  the  golden  store. 
Fell  lust  of  gold!  abhorred,  accurst! 
What  will  not  men  to  slake  such  thirst  ? 

CoNiNGTON,  yEiieid^  Book  III. 

When  y^iiieas  related  this  story  to  his  father  and 
the  other  Trojan  chiefs,  they  all  agreed  to  depart 
forthwith  from  a  land  polluted  by  so  iDlack  a  crime. 
But  first  they  performed  funeral  rites  on  the  grave 
of  Polydorus,  erecting  two  altars  which  they 
decked  with  cypress  wreaths,  the  emblem  of  mourn- 
ing, and  offering  sacrifices  to  the  gods. 

Soon  afterwards,  the  winds  being  favorable,  they 
set  sail,  and  in  a  few  days  reached  De'los,  one  of  the 
isles  of  Greece,  where  there  was  a  famous  temple  of 
Apollo.  A'ni-us,  the  king  of  the  island,  and  a  priest 
of  Apollo,  gave  them  a  hospitable  reception.  In  the 
great  temple  they  made  suitable  offerings,  and 
i^neas  prayed  to  the  god  to  tell  them  in  what  coun- 
try they  might  find  a  resting  place  and  a  home. 
Scarcely  had  the  prayer  been  finished  when  the 
temple  and  the  earth  itself  seemed  to  quake,  where- 
upon the  Trojans  prostrated  themselves  in  lowly 
reverence  upon  the  ground,  and  presently  they  heard 
a  voice  saying: 

"  Brave  sons  of  Dar'da-nus,  the  land  which  gave 


38 

birth  to  your  ancestors  shall  again  receive  your 
race  in  its  fertile  bosom.  Seek  out  your  ancient 
mother.  There  the  house  of  yEneas  shall  rule  over 
every  coast,  and  his  children's  children  and  their 
descendants." 

The  answers  or  oracles  of  the  gods  were  often 
given  in  mysterious  words,  as  in  the  present  case, 
^neas  and  his  companions  did  not  know  what  land 
was  meant  by  the  "ancient  mother,"  but  Anchises, 
"  revolvino-  in  his  mind  the  lefjends  of  the  men  of 
old,"  remembered  having  heard  that  one  of  his 
ancestors,  Teu'cer,  (the  father-in-law  of  Dardanus), 
had  come  from  the  island  of  Crete.  Believing, 
therefore,  that  that  was  the  land  referred  to  in  the 
words  of  the  oracle,  they  set  sail,  having  first  sacri- 
ficed to  Apollo,  to  Neptune,  god  of  the  ocean,  and 
to  the  god  of  storms,  that  their  voyage  might  be 
favorable. 

A  bull  to  Neptune,  an  oblation  clue. 
Another  bull  to  bright  Apollo  slew  ; 
A  milk-white  ewe,  the  western  winds  to  please 
And  one  coal-black,  to  calm  the  stormy  seas. 

Dryden,  ^neiii.  Book  HI. 

They  arrived  safely  at  Crete  (now  known  as 
Can'di-a)  where  they  remained  a  considerable  time 
and  built  a  city  which  yEneas  called  Per'ga-mus,  the 
name  of  the  famous  citadel  or  fort  of  Troy.     But 


39 

here  a  new  misfortune  came  upon  the  exiles  in  the 
shape  of  a  plague,  which  threatened  destruction  to 
man  and  beast  and  the  fruits  of  the  field. 

Sudden  on  man's  feeble  frame 
From  tainted  skies  a  sickness  came, 
On  trees  and  crops  a  poisonous  breath, 
A  year  of  pestilence  and  death. 

CoNiNGTON,  Mneid^  Book  HI. 

Anchises  now  proposed  that  they  should  return  to 
Delos,  and  again  seek  the  counsel  and  aid  of  Apollo, 
but  that  night  J^  neas  had  a  dream  in  which  the  house- 
hold o'ods  whose  images  he  had  carried  with  him 
from  Troy,  appeared  to  him,  and  told  him  that  Crete 
was  not  the  land  destined  by  the  gods  for  him  and 
his  people.  They  also  told  him  where  that  Hesperia 
was,  of  which  he  had  heard  from  the  shade  of 
Creusa. 

"  A  land  there  is,  Hesperia  called  of  old, 
(The  soil  is  fruitful,  and  the  natives  bold  — 
The  CE-no'tri-ans  held  it  once,)  by  later  fame 
Now  called  I-ta'li-a,  from  the  leader's  name. 
I-a'si-us  there,  and  Dardanus,  were  born: 
From  thence  we  came,  and  thither  must  return. 
Rise,  and  thy  sire  with  these  glad  tidings  greet: 
Search  Italy:  for  Jove  denies  thee  Crete." 

Drvden,  Mneid^  Book  HI. 

yEneas  made  haste  to  tell  this  dream  to  his  father, 
whereupon   the  old  man   advised  that  they  should 


40 

at  once  depart.  So  they  quickly  got  their  ships  in 
order  and  set  sail  for  Hesperia  —  the  Land  of  the 
West,  But  scarcely  had  they  lost  sight  of  the  shore 
when  a  terrible  storm  arose  which  drove  them  out 
of  their  course,  and  for  three  days  and  nights  the 
lio[ht  of  heaven  was  shut  from  their  view.  Even  the 
great  Pal-i-nu'rus,  the  pilot  of  the  ship  of  ^neas, 
"  could  not  distinguish  night  from  day,  or  remember 
his  true  course  in  the  midst  of  the  wave." 

On  the  fourth  day,  however,  the  storm  ceased  and 
soon  the  Trojans  sighted  land  in  the  distance.  It 
was  one  of  the  islands  of  the  Ionian  sea,  called  the 
Stroph'a-des.  Here  dwelt  the  Har'pies,  monsters 
'having  faces  like  women,  and  bodies,  wings,  and 
claws  like  vultures.  When  the  Trojans  landed  they 
saw  herds  of  oxen  and  flocks  of  goats  grazing  in 
the  fields.  They  killed  some  of  them  and  prepared 
a  feast  upon  the  shore,  and  having  first,  in  accord- 
ance with  their  invariable  custom,  made  offerings  to 
the  gods,  they  proceeded  "  to  banquet  on  the  rich 
viands."  But  they  had  hardly  begun  their  meal 
when  the  Harpies,  with  noisy  flapping  of  wings  and 
fearful  cries,  swooped  down  upon  them,  snatched  off 
a  great  portion  of  the  meat,  and  so  spoiled  the  rest 
with  their  unclean  touch  that  it  was  unfit  to  eat. 

From  the  mountain-tops  with  hideous  cry, 
And  clattering  wings,  the  hungry  Harpies  fly: 


41 

And  snatch  the  meat,  defiling  all  they  find, 
And  parting,  leave  a  loathsome  stench  behind. 

Dryden,  Aitu'td^  Book  III. 

The  Trojans  got  ready  another  meal  and  again 
sat  down  to  eat,  but  the  Harpies  again  came  down 
upon  them  as  before,  and  did  in  hke  manner, 
^neas  and  his  companions  then  resolved  to  fight, 
so  they  took  their  swords  and  drove  the  foul  mon- 
sters off,  though  they  could  not  kill  any  of  them,  for 
their  skins  were  proof  against  wounds.  One  of  them, 
however,  remained  behind,  and  perching  on  a  rock, 
cried  out  in  words  of  anger  against  the  intruders. 
"  Do  you  dare,  base  Trojans,"  said  she,  "  to  make 
war  upon  us  after  killing  our  oxen }  Do  you  dare 
to  drive  the  Harpies  from  the  place  which  is  their 
own  }  Listen  then  to  what  I  have  to  tell  you,  which 
the  father  of  the  gods  revealed  to  Phoe'bus  Apollo, 
and  Apollo  revealed  to  me.  Italy  is  the  land  you 
seek,  and  Italy  you  shall  reach ;  but  you  shall  not 
build  the  walls  of  your  city  until  dire  famine,  visit- 
ing you  because  you  have  injured  us,  shall  compel 
you  to  devour  even  your  tables." 

This  Harpy  was  named  Ce-lae'no.  When  the 
Trojans  heard  her  awful  words  they  prayed  to 
the  gods  for  protection,  and  then  hastening  to  their 
ships,  they  put  to  sea.  They  soon  came  near 
Ith'a-ca,  the  island  kingdom  of  Ulysses,  the  most 


/' 


42 

skilful  in  stratagem  of  all  the  Greek  chiefs  at  the 
Trojan  war.  Cursing  the  land  which  gave  birth  to 
that  cruel  enemy  of  their  country,  y^neas  and  his 
companions  sailed  past,  and  they  continued  their 
voyage  until  they  reached  the  rocky  island  of  Leu- 
ca'di-a  on  the  coast  of  E-pi'rus,  where  there  was 
another  temple  of  Apollo.  Here  they  landed,  re- 
joicing that  they  had  steered  safely  by  so  many  cities 
of  their  enemies,  for  since  leaving  Crete  their  route 
had  been  mostly  along  the  Grecian  coast.  They 
spent  the  winter  in  Leucadia,  passing  their  leisure  in 
games  of  wrestling  and  other  athletic  exercises, 
which  were  the  sports  of  warriors  in  those  ancient 
times.  Aine3.s  fastened  to  the  door  of  the  temple  a 
shield  of  bronze  —  a  trophy  he  had  carried  away  from 
Troy  —  and  upon  it  he  put  the  inscription: 

THIS    ARMOR    ^NEAS    WON    FROM    THE 
CONQUERING    GREEKS. 

In  spring  the  wanderers  again  took  to  their  ships, 
and  sailing  northwards,  close  to  the  coast,  they 
came  to  Bu-thro'tum  in  Epirus,  where  they  were 
surprised  to  learn  that  Hel'e-nus,  son  of  Priam,  was 
king  of  the  country  and  that  his  wife  was  Androm'- 
a-che,  who  had  formerly  been  wife  of  the  famous 
Hector.  .'Eneas  having  heard  this  upon  landing, 
proceeded  without  delay  towards  the  city,  impatient 


43 

to  greet  his  kindred  and  to  know  how  they  had 
come  to  be  there.  It  happened  that  just  then 
Andromache  was  offering  sacrifice  on  a  tomb 
which  she  had  erected  outside  the  walls  to  the 
memory  of  Hector.  Seeing  ^neas  approach  she 
at  once  recognized  him,  but  she  was  so  overcome 
with  surprise  that  for  some  time  she  was  unable  to 
utter  a  word.  As  soon  as  she  recovered  strength  to 
speak  she  told  ^neas  that  she  had  been  carried  off 
from  Troy  by  Pyrrhus,  and  that  Pyrrhus  had  given 
her  to  Helenus,  after  he  himself  had  married  Her- 
mi'o-ne,  the  dauq;hter  of  the  famous  Helen.  She 
also  told  that  on  the  death  of  Pyrrhus  who  had 
been  slain  by  O-res'tes,  son  of  Agamemnon,  part 
of  his  kinofdom  was  oriven  to  Helenus. 

Meanwhile  kino:  Helenus  havino-  heard  of  the 
arrival  of  the  Trojans  came  out  from  the  city  to 
meet  them,  accompanied  by  a  numerous  train  of 
attendants.  He  affectionately  greeted  /Eneas  and 
his  companions,  and  invited  them  to  his  palace, 
where  he  hospitably  entertained  them  during  their 
stay.  Helenus,  besides  being  a  king  and  the  son  of 
a  king,  was  a  famous  soothsayer,  so  ^neas  begged 
him  to  exercise  his  powers  of  prophecy  on  behalf  of 
himself  and  his  people.  Helenus  readily  complied 
with  the  request.  After  offering  the  usual  sacrifices 
to  the  gods,  he  told  the  Trojan  chief  that  he  had  yet 


44 

a  long  voyage  to  make  before  reaching  his  destina- 
tion, that  the  place  in  which  he  should  found  his 
new  kingdom  was  on  the  banks  of  a  river,  and  that 
he  would  know  it  by  finding  there  a  white  sow, 
with  a  litter  of  thirty  young  ones. 

"  In  the  shady  shelter  of  a  wood, 
And  near  the  margin  of  a  gentle  flood. 
Thou  shalt  behold  a  sow  upon  the  ground, 
With  thirty  sucking  young  encompassed  round 
(The  dam  and  offspring  white  as  falling  snow); 
These  on  thy  city  shall  their  name  bestow  ; 
And  there  shall  end  thy  labors  and  thy  woe.'.' 

Dryden,  j^ncid.  Book  III. 

As  to  the  Harpy's  dreadful  prophecy  that  the 
Trojans  would  have  to  eat  their  tables,  Helenus 
bade  ^^neas  not  to  be  troubled  about  it,  for 
"  the  fates  would  find  a  way,"  and  Apollo  would  be 
present  to  aid.  Then  the  soothsayer  warned  his 
countrymen  to  shun  the  strait  between  Italy  and 
Sicily,  where  on  one  side  was  the  frightful  monster 
Scyl'la,  with  the  face  of  a  woman  and  the  tail  of  a 
dolphin,  and  on  the  othef  was  the  dangerous  whirl- 
pool Cha-ryb'dis.  But  more  important  than  all 
other  things,  they  must  offer  sacrifices  and  prayers 
to  Juno,  that  her  anger  might  be  turned  away  from 
them,  for  she  it  was  who  had  hitherto  opposed  all 
their  efforts  to  reach  their  promised  land. 


45 

Helenus  also  told  them  that  on  arriving  in  Italy 
they  must  seek  out  and  consult  the  famous  Sib'yl  of 
Cu'mae.  This  was  a  prophetess  who  usually  wrote 
her  prophecies  on  leaves  of  trees,  which  she  placed 
at  the  entrance  to  her  cave.  These  leaves  had  to 
be  taken  up  very  carefully  and  quickly,  for  if  they 
were  scattered  about  by  the  wind,  it  would  be  impos- 
sible to  put  them  in  order  again,  so  as  to  read  them 
or  understand  their  meaning.  Helenus,  therefore, 
directed  v^neas  to  request  the  Sibyl  to  give  her 
answers  by  word  of  mouth.  She  would  do  so,  he 
said,  and  tell  him  all  that  was  to  happen  to  liim 
and  his  people  in  Italy  —  the  wars  they  would  have 
to  encounter,  the  dangers  they  were  to  meet,  and 
how  to  avoid  them. 

Thus  Helenus  prophesied  and  gave  counsel  to 
his  kinsmen.  Then  he  made  presents  to  /Eneas 
and  Anchises  of  valuable  thino;s  in  "old  and 
silver,  and  he  sent  pilots  to  the  ships,  and  horses 
and  arms  for  the  men.  And  Andromache  2:ave 
embroidered  robes  to  Ascanius  and  a  cloak  wrought 
in  gold. 

Soon  afterwards  the  wanderers  bade  farewell  to 
their  friends,  and  set  sail.  Next  day  they  came  in 
sight  of  Italy,  which  they  hailed  with  loud  shouts 
of  rejoicing.  It  was  the  south-eastern  point  of  the 
peninsula,  and  as  the  Trojans  approached  it,  they 


46 

saw  a  harbor  into  which  they  ran  their  ships.  Here 
they  went  ashore  and  offered  sacrifices  to  Minerva, 
and  also  to  Juno,  remembering  the  advice  of  Hel- 
enus.  But  that  part  of  the  country  being  inhabited 
by  Greeks,  they  made  haste  to  depart,  and  taking 
their  course  southward,  they  passed  by  the  Bay  of 
Ta-ren'tum  and  down  the  coast  until  they  came  to 
the  entrance  of  the  strait  now  called  Messina.  This 
was  a  point  of  danger,  for  the  loud  roaring  of  the 
sea  warned  them  that  they  were  not  far  from  the 
terrible  Charybdis.  Quickly  Palinurus  turned  his 
ship  to  the  left,  and,  all  the  others  following,  made 
straight  for  the  Sicilian  shore.  Here  they  landed 
almost  at  the  foot  of  ^tna,  famous  then  as  in  our 
own  times  as  a  volcano  or  burning  mountain. 
Under  this  mountain,  according  to  an  old  legend, 
Jupiter  imprisoned  En-cera-dus,  one  of  the  giants 
who  had  dared  to  make  war  against  heaven,  and  as 
often  as  the  giant  turned  his  weary  sides,  all  Sicily 
trembled  and  the  mountain  sent  forth  flames  of 
fire  and  streams  of  molten  lava. 

Enceladus,  they  say,  transfixed  by  Jove, 

With  blasted  limbs  came  tumbling  from  above  ; 

And  when  he  fell,  the  avenging  father  drew 

This  flaming  hill,  and  on  his  body  threw. 

As  often  as  he  turns  his  weary  sides, 

He  shakes  the  solid  isle,  and  smoke,  the  heavens  hides. 

Drvden,  y^neid.  Book  III. 


47 

But  beside  the  horrors  of  the  "  flaminq-  hill " 
there  was  another  danger  to  which  the  Trojans  were 
now  exposed.  Sicily  was  the  land  of  the  terrible 
Cy'clops.  These  were  fierce  giants  of  immense 
size,  with  one  eye,  huge  and  round,  in  the  middle  of 
their  foreheads.  The  morning  after  their  arrival, 
the  Trojans  were  surprised  to  see  a  stranger  run- 
ning forth  from  the  woods,  and  with  arms  out- 
stretched imploring  their  protection.  Being  asked 
who  he  was,  he  said  he  was  a  Greek,  and  that  his 
name  was  Ach-e-men'ides.  He  had  been  at  Troy 
with  Ulysses,  and  was  one  of  the  companions  of 
that  famous  warrior  in  his  adventures  after  the 
siege.  In  their  wanderings  they  had  come  to 
Sicily  and  had  been  in  the  very  cave  of  Pol-y-phe'- 
mus,  the  largest  and  fiercest  of  the  Cyclops,  who 
had  killed  several  of  the  unfortunate  Greeks. 

"  I  myself,"  said  Achemenides,  "  saw  him  seize 
two  of  our  number  and  break  their  bodies  aeainst 
a  rock.  I  saw  their  limbs  quivering  between  his 
teeth.  But  Ulysses  did  not  suffer  such  things  to 
go  unpunished,  for  when  the  giant  lay  asleep, 
gorged  with  food,  and  made  drunk  with  wine, 
(which  Ulysses  had  given  him)  we,  having  prayed 
to  the  gods,  and  arranged  by  lot  what  part  each 
should  perform,  crowded  around  him  and  with  a 
sharp  weapon  bored  out  his  eye,  which  was  as  large 


48 

as  the  orb  of  the  sun,  and  so  we  avenged  the  death 
of  our  comrades." 

But  in  their  flight  from  the  cave,  after  punishing 
Polyphemus,  the  Greeks  left  Achemenides  behind, 
and  for  three  months  he  lived  on  berries  in  the 
woods.  He  now  warned  the  Trojans  to  depart 
from  the  island  with  all  speed,  for,  he  said,  a  hun- 
dred other  Cyclops,  huge  and  savage,  dwelt  on  those 
shores,  tending  their  flocks  among  the  hills. 

"  Such,  and  so  vast  as  Polypheme  appears, 
A  hundred  more  this  hated  island  bears; 
Like  him,  in  caves  they  shut  their  wooly  sheep; 
Like  him  their  herds  on  tops  of  mountains  keep; 
Like  him,  with  mighty  strides  they  stalk  from  steep  to 
steep." 

Dryden,  jEneid^  Book  III. 

Scarcely  had  Achemenides  finished  his  story 
when  Polyphemus  himself  appeared  coming  down 
from  the  mountain  in  the  midst  of  his  flocks. 
A  horrid  monster  he  was,  "  huge,  awful,  hideous, 
ghastly,  blind."  In  his  hand  he  carried  the  trunk 
of  a  pine  tree  to  guide  his  steps,  and  striding  to  the 
water's  edge,  he  waded  far  into  the  sea,  yet  the 
waves  did  not  touch  his  sides. 

The  Trojans  now  quickly  got  to  their  vessels, 
taking  Achemenides  with  them,  and  they  plied 
their  oars  with    the    utmost    speed.     Hearing    the 


(49.^ 


50 

voices  of  the  rowers  and  the  sweep  of  their  oars, 
the  bhnd  giant  stretched  out  his  hands  in  the  direc- 
tion of  the  sound,  seeking  to  seize  his  enemies,  as 
he  took  them  to  be.  But  the  Trojans  had  got 
beyond  his  reach.  Then  in  his  rage  and  disappoint- 
ment the  monster  raised  a  mighty  shout  which 
echoed  from  the  mountain  sides  and  brought  forth 
his  brethren  from  their  woods  and  caves. 

"  To  heaven  he  lifts  a  monstrous  roar, 

Which  sends  a  shudder  through  the  waves, 

Shakes  to  its  base  the  Italian  shore, 

And  echoing  runs  through  /Etna's  caves. 

From  rocks  and  woods  the  Cyclop  host 

Rush  startled  forth,  and  crowd  the  coast. 

There  glaring  fierce  we  see  them  stand 

In  idle  rage,  a  hideous  band. 

The  sons  of  ^tna,  carrying  high 

Their  towering  summits  to  the  sky." 

CoN'iNGTOx,  ^7ieidy  Book  III. 

After  thus  escaping  from  the  terrible  Polyphemus, 
the  Trojan  wanderers  sailed  along  the  coasts  of 
Sicily,  and  coming  to  the  north-west  extremity  of 
the  island,  they  put  ashore  at  Drep'a-num.  Here 
yEneas  met  with  a  misfortune  which  none  of  the 
prophets  had  predicted.  This  was  the  death  of  his 
venerable  father  Anchises. 

"After  endless  labors  (often  tossed 
By  raging  storms  and  driven  on  every  coast). 


51 

My  dear,  dear  father,  spent  with  age,  I  lost  — 
Ease  of  my  cares,  and  solace  of  my  pain, 
Saved  through  a  thousand  toils,  but  saved  in  vain! 
The  prophet,  who  my  future  woes  revealed. 
Yet  this,  the  greatest  and  the  worst,  concealed, 
And  dire  Celseno,  whose  foreboding  skill 
Denounced  all  else,  was  silent  of  this  ill." 

Dryden,  Mneid,  Book  III. 


III.     A  GREAT  STORM  — ARRIVAL  IN 
CARTHAGE. 

Thus  far  you  have  read  the  story  of  the  Trojan 
exiles  as  it  was  told  by  ^neas  himself  to  Di'do, 
queen  of  Carthage,  at  whose  court  we  shall  soon 
find  him,  after  a  dreadful  storm  which  scattered  his 
ships,  sinking  one,  and  driving  the  rest  upon  the 
coast  of  Africa.  The  narrative  occupies  the  second 
and  third  books  of  the  yEneid.  In  the  first  book 
the  poet  begins  by  telling  of  Juno's  unrelenting 
hate,  which  was  the  chief  cause  of  all  the  evils  that 
bsfell  the  Trojans. 

Arms  and  the  man  I  sing,  who,  forced  by  fate, 
And  haughty  Juno's  unrelenting  hate, 
Expelled  and  exiled,  left  the  Trojan  shore. 
Long  labors,  both  by  sea  and  land  he  bore. 

Dryden,  j^neid^  Book  I. 

It  was  at  Juno's  request  that  vE'o-lus,  god  of  the 
winds,  raised  the  great  storm,  just  at  the  time  when 
the  wanderers,  after  leaving  Drepanum,  were  about 
to  direct  their  course  towards  the  destined  Hes- 
perian   land.     For   though    ^Eneas    and    his    com- 

[52] 


53 

panions,  following  the  advice  of  Helenus,  had 
offered  prayers  and  sacrifices  to  the  haughty  god- 
dess, still  her  anger  was  not  appeased.  She  could 
not  forget  the  judgment  of  Paris,  or  the  prophecy 
that  through  the  Trojan  race  was  to  come  destruc- 
tion on  the  city  she  loved.  And  so  when  she  saw 
the  ships  of  /Eneas  sailing  towards  the  Italian  coast, 
she  o-ave  vent  to  her  ano^er  in  bitter  words.  "  Must 
I  then,"  said  she,  "desist  from  my  purpose?  Am  I, 
the  queen  of  heaven,  not  able  to  prevent  the 
Trojans  from  establishing  their  kingdom  in  Italy  .f* 
Who  then  will  hereafter  worship  Juno  or  offer 
sacrifices  on  her  altars  ?  "  With  such  thouo^hts  in- 
flaming  her  breast,  the  goddess  hastened  to  /E-o'lia, 
the  home  of  storms  where  dwelt  yEolus,  king  of  the 
winds.  ALoYm  was  one  of  the  ancient  names  of  the 
islands  between  Italy  and  Sicily,  now  known  as 
the  Lipari  Islands.  In  a  vast  cave,  in  one  of  those 
islands  king  yEolus  held  the  winds  imprisoned  and 
controlled  their  fury  lest  they  should  destroy  the 
world  — 

In  a  spacious  cave  of  living  stone, 
The  tyrant  ^olus,  from  his  airy  throne, 
With  power  imperial  curbs  the  struggling  winds, 
And  sounding  tempests  in  dark  prisons  bin''s: 
High  in  his  hall  the  undaunted  monarch  stands, 
And  shakes  his  sceptre,  and  their  rage  commands; 


54 

Which  did  he  not,  their  unresisted  sway 

Would  sweep  the  world  before  them  in  their  way; 

Earth,  air,  and  seas,  through  empty  space  would  roll, 

And  heaven  would  fly  before  the  driving  soul. 

In  fear  of  this,  the  father  of  the  gods 

Confined  their  fury  to  those  dark  abodes. 

And  locked  them  safe  within,  oppressed  with  mountain  loads; 

Imposed  a  king  with  arbitrary  sway, 

To  loose  their  fetters,  or  their  force  allay. 

Dryden,  ^neidy  Book  I. 

To  this  great  king  Juno  appealed,  begging  him  to 
send  forth  his  storms  against  the  ships  of  y^neas, 
and  she  promised  to  reward  him  by  giving  him  in 
marriage  the  fair  De-i-o-pe'a,  most  beautiful  of  all  the 
nymphs  or  maids  in  her  heavenly  train  of  attend- 
ants, yfiolus  promptly  replied  saying  that  he  was 
ready  to  obey  the  queen  of  heaven.  "  '  Tis  for  you, 
O  queen,  to  command  and  for  me  to  execute  your 
will." 

Then  /Eolus  struck  the  side  of  the  cavern  with 
his  mighty  scepter,  whereupon  the  rock  flew  open 
and  the  winds  rushed  furiously  forth.  In  an  instant 
a  terrific  hurricane  swept  over  land  and  sea.  The 
lightning  flashed,  the  thunder  pealed,  and  the  waves 
rolled  mountain  high  around  the  Trojan  fleet. 

All  in  a  moment  sun  and  skies 
Are  blotted  from  the  Trojans'  eyes; 
Black  night  is  brooding  o'er  the  deep, 


55 

Sharp  thunder  peals,  live  lightnings  leap; 
The  stoutest  warrior  holds  his  breath, 
And  looks  as  on  the  face  of  death. 

CoNiNGTON,  /Eneid^  Book  I, 

Filled  with  terror,  ^neas  bewailed  his  unhappy 
fate,  and  lamented  that  it  had  not  been  his  lot  to  fall 
with  those 

Who  died  at  Troy  like  valiant  men 
E'en  in  their  parents'  view. 

But  the  storm  increased  in  fury.  Three  of  his 
ships  were  dashed  against  hidden  rocks,  while  before 
his  eyes  one  went  down  with  all  its  crew. 

And  here  and  there  above  the  waves  were  seen 
Arms,  pictures,  precious  goods  and  floating  men. 

Drvdex,  /Eneid^  Book  I. 

Meantime  the  roaring  of  wind  and  waves  had 
reached  the  ears  of  Neptune,  in  his  coral  palace 
beneath  the  sea.  Neptune  was  one  of  the  gods  who 
were  friendly  to  ..^neas,  and  so  when  he  raised  his 
head  above  the  waters,  and  beheld  the  ships  scat- 
tered about  and  the  hero  himself  in  deep  distress, 
the  ocean  king  was  very  angry.  Instantly  he  sum- 
moned the  winds  before  him,  and  sternly  rebuked 
them  for  darino:  to  cause  such  disturbance  in  his 
dominions  without  his  authority.  Then  he  ordered 
them  to  depart  forthwith  to  their  caverns,  and  tell 


56 

their  master  that  not  to  him  belonged  the  kingdom 
of  the  sea. 

"  Back  to  your  master  instant  flee, 
And  tell  him,  not  to  him  but  me 
The  imperial  trident  of  the  sea 
Fell  by  the  lot's  award." 

CoNiNGTON,  /Eneid^  Book  I. 

It  was  by  lot  that  the  empire  of  the  universe  had 
been  divided  among  the  three  brothers  Jupiter* 
Neptune  and  Pluto,  the  kingdom  of  the  ocean  falling 
to  Neptune,  the  heavens  to  Jupiter  and  the  "lower 
regions  "  or  regions  of  the  dead  to  Pluto.  Neptune, 
therefore,  had  full  power  within  his  own  dominion, 
and  so  the  winds  had  to  retire  at  his  command. 
Then  immediately  the  sea  became  calm  and  still, 
and  yEneas  with  seven  ships  —  all  that  he  could 
find  of  his  fleet —  sailed  for  the  African  coast,  which 
was  the  nearest  land,  the  storm  having  driven  them 
far  out  of  their  course.  Soon  discovering  a  suitable 
harbor,  deep  in  a  bay,  with  high  rocks  on  each  side 
at  the  entrance,  the  tempest-tossed  Trojans  gladly 
put  ashore,  and  lighting  a  fire  on  the  beach,  they 
prepared  a  meal  of  parched  corn,  which  they  ground 
with  stones. 

Meanwhile  y^neas  climbed  a  rock  and  looked 
out  over  the  sea  hoping  to  catch  sight  of  some  of 
the    lost    vessels.       He    was    accompanied    by    his 


57 

armor-bearer  A-cha'tes,  who  was  so  devoted  to  his 
chief  that  the  name  is  often  used  to  signify  a  very 
faithful  friend.  But  they  could  see  none  of  the 
missing  ships  and  so  they  returned  to  their  com- 
panions. Then  y^neas  delivered  an  address  to  his 
people,  bidding  them  be  of  good  cheer,  and  remind- 
ing them  of  the  decree  of  heaven  that  they  should 
have  a  peaceful  settlement  in  La'ti-um  —  that  fair 
Italian  land,  to  which  the  gods  would  surely  guide 
them  in  due  time. 


"  Comrades  and  friends!  for  ours  is  strength 

Has  brooked  the  test  of  woes; 
O  worse-scarred  hearts!  these  wounds  at  length 

The  gods  will  heal,  like  those. 
You  that  have  seen  grim  Scylla  rave, 

And  heard  her  monsters  3'ell, 
You  that  have  looked  upon  the  cave 

Where  savage  Cyclops  dwell, 
Come,  cheer  your  souls,  your  fears  forget; 
This  suffering  will  yield  us  yet 

A  pleasant  tale  to  tell. 
Through  chance,  through  peril  lies  our  way 
To  Latium,  where  the  fates  display 
A  mansion  of  abiding  stay; 
There  Troy  her  fallen  realm  shall  raise; 
Bear  up  and  live  for  happier  days." 

CoNiNGTON,  j^neid^  Book  I. 

It  is   not  to  be   supposed   that  all   this  time  the 
goddess  Venus  was  forgetful  of  the  sufferings  of  her 


58 

son.  Even  while  /Eneas  was  thus  speaking  to  his 
fellow  wanderers  she  was  pleading  his  cause  before 
the  throne  of  Jupiter  himself  on  the  top  of  Mount 
Olympus.  "  What  offence,  O  king  of  heaven,"  said 
she,  "has  my  ^neas  committed.?  How  have  the 
Trojans  offended.?  What  is  to  be  the  end  of  their 
sufferings.?  Are  they  to  be  forever  persecuted  on 
account  of  the  anger  of  one  goddess.?" 

To  this  appeal  the  king  of  the  gods  answ^ered  assur- 
ing Venus  that  the  promises  made  to  the  Trojan 
exiles  should  all  be  fulfilled,  yiineas,  he  said,  should 
make  war  against  fierce  tribes  in  Italy,  and  conquer 
them,  and  rule  in  La-vin'i-um.  After  him  his  son 
lulus  should  reign  for  thirty  years,  and  build  a  city 
to  be  called  Alba  Longa,  where  his  descendants  would 
hold  sovereign  power  for  three  hundred  years.  Then 
from  the  same  race  should  come  Rom'u-lus,  who 
would  found  the  city  Rome,  which  would  in  time 
conquer  Greece  and  rule  the  world. 

"  The  people  Romans  call,  the  city  Rome 
To  them  no  bounds  of  empire  I  assign, 
Nor  term  of  years  to  their  immortal  line, 
E'en  haughty  Juno,  who,  with  endless  broils, 
Earth,  seas,  and  heaven,  and  Jove  himself  turmoils, 
At  length  atoned,  her  friendly  power  shall  ioin, 
To  cherish  and  advance  the  Trojan  line. 
An  age  is  ripening  in  revolving  fate. 
When  Troy  shall  overturn  the  Grecian  state, 


59 

And  sweet  revenge  her  conquering  sons  shall  call 
To  crush  the  people  that  conspired  her  fall, 
Then  Caesar  from  the  Julian  stock  shall  rise, 
Whose  empire  ocean,  and  whose  fame  the  skies 
Alone  shall  bound." 

Dryden,  /Eiieidy  Book  I. 

Thus  did  the  king  of  heaven  prophesy  the  future 
greatness  and  power  of  the  JuHan  Hne.  Then  he 
sent  Mercury,  the  messenger  of  the  gods,  down  to 
earth  to  bid  the  queen  of  Carthage  and  her  people 
give  a  hospitable  reception  to  the  Trojans,  for  it  was 
near  that  city,  on  the  Li'by-an  shore,  that  they  had 
landed  after  the  storm.  Venus  herself,  too,  came 
down  from  Olympus,  and,  in  the  garb  of  a  huntress, 
appeared  to  her  son  and  the  faithful  Achates,  as 
they  were  exploring  the  coast  to  find  out  what  land 
it  was,  and  by  what  people  possessed.  She  did  not 
make  herself  known  to  them,  but  inquired  if  they 
had  seen  one  of  her  sisters  who  had  strayed  away 
from  her.  yEneas  answered:  "None  of  your  sis- 
ters have  we  seen,  O  virgin,  or  shall  we  call  you 
goddess,  for  such  you  seem  to  be,''  Whoever  you 
are,  graciously  relieve  our  anxiety  by  informing  us 
what  country  this  is  into  which  unkind  fortune  has 
driven  us. 

"  Instruct  us  'neath  what  sky  at  last, 
Upon  what  shore  our  lot  is  cast; 


6o 

We  wander  here  by  tempest  blown, 
The  people  and  the  place  unknown." 

CoNiNGTON,  Aineid,  Book  I. 

To  these  inquiries  Venus,  still  maintaining  her 
disguise,  replied  by  telling  the  Trojan  heroes  the 
story  of  Carthage  and  Queen  Dido.  This  famous 
woman  was  the  daughter  of  Be'lus,  king  of  Tyre,  a  city 
of  Phoe-nic'i-a,  in  Asia  Minor.  She  married  a  wealthy 
Tyrian  lord  named  Si-chae'us.  On  her  father's  death, 
her  brother  Pyg-mali-on  became  king  of  Tyre.  He 
was  a  cruel  and  avaricious  tyrant,  and  in  order  to  get 
possession  of  his  brother-in-law's  riches,  he  had  him 
put  to  death,  concealing  the  crime  from  his  sister  by 
many  false  tales.  But  in  a  dream  the  ghost  of  Si- 
chaeus  appeared  to  Dido  and  told  her  of  the  wicked 
deed  of  Pygmalion.  He  at  the  same  time  advised 
her  to  fly  from  the  country  with  all  speed,  and  he 
informed  her  of  the  place  where  he  had  hidden  his 
treasures  —  a  large  sum  in  gold  and  silver,  which  he 
bade  her  take  to  help  her  in  her  flight. 

Dido  therefore  got  together  a  number  of  ships, 
and  put  to  sea  accompanied  by  a  number  of  her 
countrymen  who  hated  the  cruel  tyrant.  They  sailed 
to  the  coast  of  Africa  and  landed  in  Libya,  where 
they  purchased  from  the  inhabitants  as  much  ground 
as  could  be  encompassed  by  a  bull's  hide  cut  into 
thongs.    Then  they  commenced  to  build  a  city  which 


6i 

they  called  Carthage,  and  even  now  they  were  en- 
gaged in  raising  its  walls. 

Such  was  the  story  of  Dido  which  Venus  related 
to  .'^neas  and  Achates.  Having  concluded,  she  in- 
quired in  her  turn  who  they  were,  from  what  country 
they  had  come,  and  whither  they  were  going.  In 
reply  /Eneas  gave  a  brief  account  of  his  wanderings 
since  the  fall  of  Troy.  Then  the  goddess  directed 
him  to  go  into  the  city  and  present  himself  before 
the  queen,  and  she  pointed  to  an  augury  in  the  sky  — 
twelve  swans  flying  above  their  heads  —  which,  she 
said,  was  a  sign  that  the  ships  they  had  supposed 
to  be  lost  were  at  that  moment  sailing  into  the 
harbor. 

So  saying  Venus  turned  to  leave  them,  when  sud- 
denly a  marvelous  change  took  place  in  her  dress 
and  appearance,  so  that  ^neas  knew  she  was  his 
mother,  and  he  cried  to  her  to  permit  him  to  touch  her 
hand  and  speak  with  her  as  her  son.  The  goddess, 
however,  made  no  answer,  but  she  cast  over  /Eneas 
and  his  companion  a  thick  veil  of  cloud  so  that  no 
one  might  see  or  molest  them  on  their  way.  Thus 
rendered  invisible,  they  went  towards  the  city. 
When  they  reached  it  they  found  a  great  many 
men  at  work,  some  finishing  the  walls,  others  erect- 
ing great  buildings  of  various  kinds.  In  the  center 
of  the  town  was  a  magnificent  temple  of  Juno. 


62 

Enriched  with  gifts,  and  with  a  golden  shrine; 
But  more  the  goddess  made  the  place  divine. 
On  brazen  steps  the  marble  threshold  rose, 
And  brazen  plates  the  cedar  beams  enclose; 
The  rafters  are  with  brazen  coverings  crowned; 
The  lofty  doors  on  brazen  hinges  sound. 

Dryden,  /Eneid,  Book  I. 

Entering  this  temple,  yEneas  was  astonished  to^ 
find  the  walls  covered  with  paintings  representing 
scenes  of  the  Trojan  war. 

He  saw,  in  order  painted  on  the  wall, 

Whatever  did  unhappy  Troy  befall; 

The  wars  that  fame  around  the  world  had  blown, 

All  to  the  life,  and  every  leader  known. 

He  stopped,  and  weeping  said:     "O  friend!  e'en  here! 

The  monuments  of  Trojan  woes  appear!  " 

Dryden,  ^^nezd.  Book  I. 

Amongst  the  pictures,  /Eneas  recognized  one  of 
himself  performing  deeds  of  valor  in  the  thick  of  the 
fight.  While  he  and  his  companion,  both  still  in- 
visible, were  gazing  with  admiration  upon  those 
scenes  Queen  Dido  came  into  the  temple,  attended 
by  a  numerous  train  of  warriors,  and  took  her  seat 
upon  a  high-raised  throne.  Presently  there  appeared 
a  number  of  Trojans  advancing  towards  the  queen, 
and  /Eneas  rejoiced  to  see  that  they  were  some  of  his 
own  people  belonging  to  the  ships  that  had  been  sepa- 
rated from  him  during  the  storm.   They  had  been  cast 


63 

ashore  on  a  different  part  of  the  coast,  and  not  hear- 
ing of  the  safe  arrival  of  ^neas,  they  were  now  come 
to  beg  the  help  and  protection  of  Dido.  Having 
heard  their  story,  which  Il-i'o-neus,  one  of  their  num- 
ber, briefly  related,  the  queen  bade  them  dismiss 
their  fears,  promising  that  she  would  give  them 
whatever  assistance  they  needed,  and  send  out  mes- 
sengers to  search  the  Libyan  coasts  for  their  leader 
y^neas.  But  at  this  point  the  mist  that  encompassed 
yEneas  and  his  companion  suddenly  vanished  and 
the  hero  stood  forth,  beheld  by  all,  his  face  resemb- 
ling that  of  a  god. 

The  Trojan  chief  appeared  in  open  sight 

August  in  visage,  and  serenely  bright. 

His  mother-goddess,  with  her  hands  divine. 

Had  formed  his  curling  locks,  and  made  his  temples  shine, 

And  given  his  rolling  eyes  a  sparkling  grace. 

And  breathed  a  youthful  vigor  on  his  face. 

Dryden",  yEneid,  Book  1. 

yEneas  now  made  himself  known  to  the  queen 
and  thanked  her  for  her  kindness  to  his  people. 
Dido  was  astonished  at  the  sudden  appearance  of 
the  hero,  of  whom  she  had  already  heard  much. 
Her  father,  Belus,  she  said,  had  told  her  of  the  fall 
of  Troy  and  of  the  name  of  yEneas,  and  having  her- 
self suffered  many  misfortunes,  she  had  learned  to 
have  pity  for  the  distressed. 


64 

"  For  I  myself,  like  you,  have  been  distressed, 
Till  heaven  afforded  me  this  place  of  rest; 
Like  you,  an  alien  in  a  land  unknown, 
I  learn  to  pity  woes  so  like  my  own." 

Drvden,  yEneid^  Book  I. 

Then  she  invited  the  hero  into  the  royal  apart- 
ments where  a  grand  banquet  was  prepared  in  his 
honor.  She  also  caused  a  supply  of  provisions  to  be 
taken  to  his  people  on  the  shore  —  twenty  oxen,  a 
hundred  swine,  and  a  hundred  fat  lambs.  Mean- 
while y^neas  sent  Achates  to  bring  his  son  Ascanius 
to  the  city,  bidding  him  at  the  same  time  to  take 
with  him  presents  for  the  queen,  costly  and  beauti- 
ful things  that  had  been  saved  from  the  ruins  of 
Troy  —  a  mantle  embroidered  with  gold,  a  scepter 
which  had  belonged  to  I-li'o-ne,  King  Priam's  daugh- 
ter, and  a  necklace  strung  with  pearls. 

At  the  banquet  Queen  Dido  sat  on  a  golden  couch, 
surrounded  by  the  Trojan  chiefs  and  her  Tyrian  lords. 
By  her  side  was  seated  the  handsome  youth  whom 
Achates  had  brought  from  the  ships  as  the  son  of 
y^neas.  Dido  admired  the  beautiful  boy  and  fondled 
him  in  her  arms  little  thinking  that  it  was  Cupid,  the 
god  of  love,  whom  Venus  had  sent  to  the  banquet 
under  the  appearance  of  lulus. 

Unhappy  Dido  little  thought  what  guest, 
How  dire  a  god  she  drew  so  near  her  breast. 

Drsden,  Aiiieid.  Book  I. 


STO.  OF  ^NEAS —  5 


(t^SJ 


66 

The  real  Ascanius  meantime  lay  in  peaceful  slum- 
ber in  a  sacred  grove  in  the  island  of  Cyprus,  to  which 
Venus  had  borne  him  away. 

Lulled  in  her  lap,  amidst  a  train  of  Loves, 
She  gently  bears  him  to  her  blissful  groves; 
Then  with  a  wreath  of  myrtle  crowns  his  head, 
And  softly  lays  him  on  a  flowery  bed. 

Dryden,  ^neid.  Book  I. 

And  so  Queen  Dido  entertained  the  chiefs  of  Troy 
and  of  Carthage,  with  the  god  of  love  seated  beside 
her  on  her  golden  couch.  A  hundred  maids  and  as 
many  pages  attended  upon  the  guests.  After  the 
viands  were  removed,  I-o'pas,  the  Tyrian  minstrel 
and  poet,  played  upon  his  gilded  lyre,  and  sang  about 
the  wondrous  things  in  the  heavens  and  on  earth. 

The  various  labors  of  the  wandering  moon, 
And  whence  proceed  the  eclipses  of  the  sun; 
The  original  of  men  and  beasts;  and  whence 
The  rains  arise,  and  fires  their  warmth  dispense; 
What  shakes  the  solid  earth;  what  cause  delays 
The  summer  nights,  and  shortens  winter  days. 

Dryden,  yEneid,  Book  I. 

The  song  of  lopas  was  applauded  by  the  entire 
assemblage.  Then  Queen  Dido  after  asking  ^neas 
many  questions  about  Priam  and  Hector,  and  Achil- 
les, and  Memnon,  and  Diomede  and  other  heroes  of 
the  Trojan  war,  begged  him  to  tell  the  whole  story  from 


67 

the  beginning.  "Come,  my  guest,"  said  she,  "relate 
to  us  from  the  very  first  the  stratagems  of  the  Greeks, 
the  adventures  of  your  friends,  and  your  own  wan- 
derings." 

It  was  in  compliance  with  this  request  that  yEneas, 
as  has  been  said,  recounted  the  history  (already  given) 
of  the  ruin  of  Troy,  and  of  his  own  misfortunes,  com- 
mencing with  the  artifice  of  the  wooden  horse,  and 
ending  with  the  storm  which  drove  his  ships  upon 
the  Carthaginian  coast.  The  events  of  the  story 
extended  over  a  period  of  seven  years,  for  it  was  now 
that  length  of  time  since  the  fatal  "peace  offering" 
brought  destruction  on  the  city  of  Priam. 


IV.  DIDO'S  LOVE  — THE   FUNERAL   GAMES- 
SHIPS  BURNED  BY  THE  WOMEN. 

Queen  Dido  was  much  interested  in  the  story  told 
by  ^neas,  but  more  so  in  the  hero  himself.  His 
many  virtures,  the  honors  and  glories  of  his  race, 
made  a  strong  impression  on  her  mind;  his  looks  and 
words  were  imprinted  on  her  heart.  In  short,  the 
Carthaginian  queen  was  in  love  with  the  Trojan 
prince.  She  confided  her  secret  to  her  sister  Anna, 
and  she  said  that  if  she  had  not  vowed,  on  the  death 
of  her  dear  husband  Sichsus,  never  again  to  unite 
with  any  one  in  the  bond  of  marriage,  she  might 
think  of  giving  her  hand  to  her  noble  guest. 

Sister  Anna  knew  that  such  a  marriage  would 
be  a  great  advantage  to  Carthage,  which  might 
need  brave  defenders  like  the  Trojans,  since  there 
were  many  w^arlike  princes  in  that  part  of  Africa, 
who  might  some  time  attack  the  new  city.  And  if 
the  Trojan  arms  were  joined  to  those  of  Carthage, 
both  would  be  strong  enough  to  resist  the  most  pow- 
erful enemy,  and  the  new  kingdom  would  become 

[68] 


69 

great  and  flourishing.  "  Let  us  therefore,"  said  she, 
"  pray  to  the  gods  for  help  and  at  the  same  time  en- 
deavor by  all  means  to  detain  our  Trojan  guests  as 
long  as  possible  upon  our  shore." 

The  queen  listened  to  her  sister's  advice  with 
pleasure,  more  especially  as  it  was  in  accord  with  her 
own  feelings.  Her  scruples  about  a  second  marriage 
soon  vanished,  and  so  she  continued  to  entertain  the 
Trojans  and  their  chief  with  princely  hospitality. 

And  now  she  leads  the  Trojan  chief  along 
The  lofty  walls,  amidst  the  busy  throng; 
Displays  her  Tyrian  wealth,  and  rising  town, 
Which  love,  without  his  labor  makes  his  own. 
This  pomp  she  shows,  to  tempt  her  wandering  guest: 
Her  faltering  tongue  forbids  to  speak  the  rest. 
When  day  declines  and  feasts  renew  the  night. 
Still  on  his  face  she  feeds  her  famished  sight; 
She  longs  again  to  hear  the  prince  relate 
His  own  adventures,  and  the  Trojan  fate. 
He  tells  it  o'er  and  o'er;  but  still  in  vain; 
For  still  she  begs  to  hear  it  once  again. 

Drvden,  Aineid^  Book  IV. 

Meanwhile  the  goddess  Juno,  watching  the  course 
of  events,  also  saw  the  advantage,  to  her  favorite  city, 
of  a  union  with  the  Trojan  chief.  If  he  and  his 
people,  she  thought,  could  be  persuaded  to  settle  in 
Carthage,  that  city  and  not  the  long  talked  of  Rome, 
would  come  to  be  the  center  of  power  and  the  ruler 


70 

of  the  world.  She  therefore  proposed  to  Venus  a 
treaty  of  "  eternal  peace  "  on  the  condition  of  a  mar- 
riagfe  between  ^neas  and  Dido. 


"O" 


"Your  Trojan  with  my  Tyrian  let  us  join; 
So  Dido  shall  be  yours,  ^-Eneas  mine  — 
One  common  kingdom,  one  united  line." 

Drvden,  Mneid^  Book  IV. 

Venus  was  not  at  all  deceived  by  this  plausible 
speech.  She  well  understood  the  motive  and  pur- 
pose of  Juno  to  secure  future  power  and  glory  for 
Carthage  and  divert  from  Rome  the  empire  of  the 
world,  nevertheless  she  answered  in  mild  words  say- 
ing, "  Who  could  be  so  foolish  as  to  reject  such  an 
alliance,  and  prefer  to  be  at  war  with  the  queen  of 
heaven .?  Yet  there  is  a  difHculty.  I  do  not  know 
•whether  it  is  the  pleasure  of  Jupiter  that  the  Tyrians 
and  Trojans  should  dwell  together  in  one  city.  Will 
he  approve  the  union  of  the  two  nations }  Perhaps, 
however,  you,  who  are  his  wife,  may  be  able  to  induce 
him  to  do  so.  It  is  for  you,  then,  to  lead  the  way, 
and  where  you  lead  I  shall  follow." 

But  another  obstacle  stood  in  the  way  of  Juno's 
proposed  alliance.  There  was  at  that  time  a  cer- 
tain African  king  named  I-ar'bas,  a  very  important 
personage,  for  he  was  a  son  of  Jupiter.  It  was  from 
him  that  Dido  when  she  first  came  to  Libya  had 
bought  the  ground  to  build  her  city.     Now  larbas 


71 

wished  to  have  Dido  for  liis  wife,  and  he  had  asked 
her  to  marry  him,  but  she  had  refused.  Great  was 
his  anger,  therefore,  when  he  heard  that  the  Trojan 
chief  had  been  received  and  honored  in  Carthage 
and  that  a  marriage  between  him  and  the  queen  was 
talked  of  as  a  certain  thing.  So  he  went  to  the 
temple  of  his  father  Jupiter,  and  complained  bit- 
terly of  the  conduct  of  Dido  in  rejecting  himself 
and  taking  a  foreign  prince  into  her  kingdom  to  be 
its  ruler.  The  king  of  heaven,  naturally  enough 
sympathising  with  his  son,  gave  ear  to  his  complaint 
and  he  forthwith  dispatched  Mercury  with  a  mes- 
sage to  ^neas,  bidding  him  to  depart  instantly 
from  Carthage.  This  command  the  swift-winged 
god,  having  sped  down  from  Olympus,  and  sought 
out  the  Trojan  hero,  delivered  in  impressive  words. 

"All  powerful  Jove 
Who  sways  the  world  below  and  heaven  above, 
Has  sent  me  down  with  this  severe  command  : 
What  means  thy  lingering  in  the  Libyan  land  ? 
If  glory  cannot  move  a  mind  so  mean, 
Nor  future  praise  from  flitting  pleasure  wean, 
Regard  the  fortunes  of  thy  rising  heir  : 
The  promised  crown  let  young  Ascanius  wear, 
To  whom  the  Ausonian  sceptre,  and  the  state 
Of  Rome's  imperial  name,  is  owed  by  fate." 

Dryden,  /Etieid,  Book  IV. 

The  command  filled  /Eneas  with    astonishment 


7^ 

and  fear.  He  knew  that  he  must  obey,  but  how 
could  he  break  the  intelligence  to  Dido,  or  what 
excuse  could  he  offer  for  so  sudden  a  departure? 

What  should  he  say,  or  how  should  he  begin  ? 
What  course  alas  !  remains,  to  steer  between 
The  offended  lover  and  the  powerful  queen. 

Drvden,  jEneid  Book  IV. 

There  being,  however,  no  middle  course,  y^ineas 
directed  his  chiefs  to  get  ready  the  ships,  call  to- 
gether the  crews,  and  prepare  their  arms,  and  to  do 
all  as  quietly  and  secretly  as  possible.  Meanwhile 
he  himself  would  watch  for  a  favorable  opportunity 
of  obtaining  the  queen's  consent  to  their  departure. 

Himself,  meantime,  the  softest  hours  would  choose, 
Before  the  love-sick  lady  heard  the  news. 
And  move  her  tender  mind,  by  slow  degrees 
To  suffer  what  the  sovereign  power  decrees. 

Drvden,  yEneidy  Book  IV. 

But  Dido  soon  discovered  what  the  Trojans  were 
about,  and  she  sent  for  yEneas  and  reproached  him 
in  angry  words  for  his  deception  and  ingratitude. 
Then  her  anger  gave  way  to  grief  and  tears,  and 
she  implored  him  to  alter  his  resolution,  declaring 
that  if  he  would  thus  suddenly  leave  her  she  must 
surely  die.  /Eneas  was  in  deep  distress  at  the  spec- 
tacle of  the  sorrowing  queen,  yet  he  dared  not  yield 
to  her  entreaties,  since  it  was  the  decree  of  the  fates 


73 

and  the  command  of  Jupiter  that  he  should  remain 
no  longer  in  Carthage. 

The  Trojans  therefore  hastened  their  preparations 
and  were  soon  ready  to  set  sail ;  but  there  came  an- 
other warning  conveyed  to  them  by  the  god  Mer- 
cury, who,  while  /Eneas  was  asleep  in  his  ship,  ap- 
peared to  him  m  a  dream,  bidding  him  to  speed 
away  that  very  night,  for  if  he  waited  until  morning 
he  would  find  the  harbor  filled  with  queen  Dido's 
fieet  to  prevent  his  departure.  Starting  from  his 
couch  ALneas  quickly  roused  his  companions  and 
gave  the  order  for  instantly  putting  to  sea. 

"  Haste  to  your  oars  !  your  crooked  anchors  weigh, 
And  speed  your  flying  sails,  and  stand  to  sea  ! 
A  god  commands  !  he  stood  before  my  sight, 
And  urged  me  once  again  to  speedy  flight." 

Dfyden,  ALneid^  Book  IV. 

Promptly  the  order  of  the  chief  was  obeyed, 
and  soon  the  Trojan  vessels  were  sailing  away 
from  the  city  of  Dido.  And  at  dawn  of  morning 
the  unhappy  queen,  looking  forth  from  her  watch 
tower,  beheld  them  far  out  at  sea.  Then  she 
prayed  that  there  might  be  eternal  enmity  between 
the  descendants  of  /Eneas  and  the  people  of 
Carthage,  and  that  a  man  would  come  of  her 
nation  who  would  persecute  the  Trojan  race  with 
fire  and  sword. 


74 

"  These  are  my  prayers,  and  this  my  dying  will  ; 

And  you,  my  Tyrians,  every  curse  fulfill  : 

Perpetual  hate  and  mortal  wars  proclaim 

Against  the  prince,  the  people,  and  the  name. 

These  grateful  offerings  on  my  grave  bestow  ; 

Nor  league,  nor  love,  the  hostile  nations  know  ! 

Now  and  from  hence  in  every  future  age, 

When  rage  excites  your  arms,  and  strength  supplies  the 

rage, 
Rise  some  avenger  of  our  Libyan  blood  ; 
With  fire  and  sword  pursue  the  perjured  brood  : 
Our  arms,  our'  seas,  our  shores,  opposed  to  theirs  ; 
And  the  same  hate  descend  on  all  our  heirs  !  " 

Dryden,  yEjteici,  Book  IV. 

Vergil  thus  makes  Dido  prophesy  the  long  con- 
flict between  Rome  and  Carthage,  (known  as  the 
Punic  wars)  and  the  achievements  of  the  famous 
Carthaginian  general,  Han'ni-bal,  who  carried  the 
war  into  the  heart  of  Italy  (218  b.  c.)  and  defeated 
the  Romans  in  several  great  battles. 

In  her  grief  at  the  departure  of  /Eneas,  the  un- 
happy queen  resolved  to  put  an  end  to  her  life. 
She  bade  her  servants  erect  in  theinner  court  yard 
of  her  palace  a  lofty  pile  of  wood,  called  a  funeral 
pyre,  and  upon  it  to  place  an  image  of  ^neas  as 
well  as  the  arms  he  had  left  behind  him.  Then 
mounting  the  pyre,  to  which  flaming  torches  had 
been  applied,  she  stabbed  herself  with  her  false 
lover's  sword,  and  so  died. 


75 

The  Trojans  from  their  ships,  saw  the  smoke  and 
flame  ascending  from  the  palace  of  Dido.  They 
knew  not  the  cause,  yet  /Eneas,  suspecting  what 
had  happened,  deeply  lamented  the  fate  of  the  un- 
happy queen. 

The  cause  unknown  ;  yet  his  presaging  mind 
The  fate  of  Dido  from  the  fire  divined. 
Dire  auguries  from  hence  the  Trojans  draw  ; 
Till  neither  fires  nor  shining  shores  they  saw. 

Dkvden,  /Eneid^  Book  IV. 

The  fleet  was  no  sooner  out  of  sight  of  the  Lib- 
yan coast  than  the  pilot  Palinurus  obsei-ved  signs 
of  a  storm.  He  proposed,  therefore,  that  they 
should  make  for  the  Sicilian  shore,  which  was  not 
far  distant.  .Eneas  gladly  consented,  for  he  wished 
to  stand  again  upon  the  spot  where  his  father's 
bones  were  laid.  Moreover  the  good  king  A-ces'tes, 
who  ruled  in  that  part  of  the  island,  was  a  Trojan 
by  descent,  and  he  had  hospitably  received  the  wan- 
derers on  their  former  visit.  They,  therefore,  turned 
the  prows  of  their  galleys  towards  Sicily,  and  soon 
reached  Drepanum,  where  they  were  met  and  wel- 
comed by  Acestes,  who  from  a  hill  top  had  seen 
their  vessels  approaching  the  shore. 

Next  day  /Eneas,  accompanied  by  king  Acestes, 
and  a  great  multitude  of  people,  proceeded  to  the 
grave  of   Anchises  where   they  erected  altars,  and 


76 

according  to  the  custom  of  the  times,  poured  wine 
and  milk  on  the  ground,  as  an  offering  to  the  gods. 
Fresh  flowers  were  then  scattered  on  the  tomb. 
While  these  ceremonies  were  being  performed  all 
present  were  startled  by  the  appearance  of  a  huge 
serpent  with  scales  of  golden  hue,  which  suddenly 
glided  from  beneath  the  tomb,  trailed  among  the 
bowls  or  goblets  containing  the  wine  and  milk, 
tasted  slightly  of  the  contents,  and  then  returned 
into  the  vault. 

Betwixt  the  rising  altars,  and  around, 
The  sacred  monster  shot  along  the  ground  ; 
With  harmless  play  amidst  the  bowls  he  passed, 
And  with  his  lolling  tongue  assayed  the  taste  : 
Thus  fed  with  holy  food,  the  wondrous  guest 
Within  the  hollow  tomb  retired  to  rest. 

Dkvden,  yEneid^  Book  V. 

^neas  believed  that  this  serpent  was  an  attend- 
ant on  the  shade  of  Anchises.  He  supposed,  there- 
fore, that  his  father  was  now  elevated  to  the  dignity 
of  a  god,  for  most  of  the  gods  had  inferior  deities 
assigned  to  them  as  ministers  or  messengers. 

Besides  the  sacrifices  and  other  ceremonies  at  the 
tomb,  there  were  ^ames  and  athletic  exercises  in 
honor  of  Anchises,  this  also  being  one  of  the  cus- 
toms of  the  ancients  in  paying  tribute  to  the  mem- 
ory of  their  dead  heroes.     The  principal  event  in 


17 

the  games  was  a  ship  race  in  whicli  the  most  skilful 
of  the  Trojan  mariners  took  part.  In  this  contest 
Mnes'theus  with  a  ship  named  Pristis,  and  Clo-an'- 
thus  commanding  the  Scylla  performed  wonderful 
feats  of  seamanship.  So  equally  were  they  matched 
and  so  well  did  they  manage  their  vessels  that  both 
would  probably  have  reached  the  goal  or  winning 
post  together,  had  it  not  been  for  the  interference 
of  the  eods.  The  oroal  was  a  branch  of  an  oak  tree 
fixed  to  a  small  rock  in  tlie  bay  facing  the  beach 
on  which  the  spectators  were  assembled.  As  the 
Scylla  was  approaching  the  rock  on  the  home  run, 
the  Pristis,  which  had  been  pressing  close  behind, 
shot  alongside,  and  was  almost  beak  to  beak  with 
its  competitor.  Then  Cloanthus  stretching  forth 
his  arms  to  heaven,  prayed  the  gods  of  the  sea 
to  help  him  at  that  critical  moment,  promising 
that  he  would  offer  sacrifices  of  thanksgiving  on 
their  altars,  if  he  should  win  the  race.  His  prayer 
was  quickly  heard.  From  their  palaces  in  the  deep, 
the  Ne-re'ids,  Neptune's  band  of  attendants  and 
assistants,  rushed  to  his  aid,  and  with  his  mighty 
hand  Por-tu'nus,  the  god  of  harl^ors,  coming  be- 
hind the  Scylla,  pushed  the  vessel  along,  speeding 
her  forward  more  swiftly  than  the  wind. 

And  old  Portunus  with  his  breadth  of  hand, 
Pushed  on  and  sped  the  galley  to  the  land, 


78 

Swift  as  a  shaft,  or  winged  wind,  she  flies, 
And  darting  to  the  port,  obtains  the  prize. 

Drvden,  ^neid.  Book  V. 

Cloanthus  was  declared  victor  and  received  the 
first  prize  —  a  rich  mantle  embroidered  in  gold, 
The  second  prize  was  given  to  Mnestheiis,  and 
suitable  rewards  were  also  bestowed  on  the  crews. 

After  the  ship  race  yEneas  and  the  vast  multi- 
tude of  Trojans  and  Sicilians  proceeded  to  a  grassy 
plain  not  far  from  the  shore  where  the  other  games 
were  held.  The  first  was  a  foot  race  in  which  a 
large  number  took  part.  Among  them  were 
Eu-ry'a-lus  and  Ni'sus,  Trojan  youths  famed  for 
their  mutual  friendship,  and  Di-o'res,  a  young 
prince  of  Priam's  royal  line.  Among  the  Sicilian 
competitors  were  Sa'li-us  and  Pa'tron,  and  two 
young  men,  El'y-mus  and  Pan'o-pes,  companions  of 
King  Acestes. 

The  signal  having  been  given,  the  racers  darted 
off  like  lightning.  Nisus  quickly  took  the  lead 
springing  far  away  ahead  of  the  rest.  Next, 
but  at  a  lonor  distance  came  Salius,  and  after  him 
Euryalus,  followed  by  Elymus,  with  Diores  close 
by  his  side.  Nisus  would  have  reached  the  goal 
first,  but  just  as  he  was  approaching  it,  he  lost  his 
foothold  at  a  slippery  spot  on  the  course,  and  fell 
headlong  upon  the  ground       Seeing    then    that  it 


Jjmwti  Oy  birch. 


TlIK    FOOT    RACE. 


(79) 


8o 

was  not  possible  for  him  to  win,  he  thought  of  his 
friend  Euryalus,  and  rising  from  the  ground  he 
set  himself  right  in  the  way  of  Salius  who  was 
rushing  forward. 

E'en  then  affection  claims  its  part; 
Euryalus  is  in  his  heart; 
Uprising  from  the  sodden  clay, 
He  casts  himself  in  Salius'  way. 
And  Salius  tripped  and  sprawling  lay. 

CoNixGTOx,  ^tieid^  Book  V. 

This  gave  the  victory  to  Euryalus,  but  Salius 
protested  against  the  foul  play  by  which  he  had 
been  defeated,  and  claimed  that  he  was  entitled  to 
the  first  prize,  ^neas,  however,  decided  that  the 
prize  should  go  to  him  who  had  actually  reached 
the  goal  first  Nevertheless,  he  gave  Salius  a  lion's 
hide,  heavy  with  shaggy  fur  and  gilt  claws.  Nisus, 
too,  claimed  a  reward,  and  ^neas  sympathising 
with  his  misfortune,  presented  to  him  a  shield  of 
beautiful  workmanship,  which  had  been  taken  from 
the  pillars  of  Neptune's  temple  in  the  city  of  Troy. 

Games  of  boxing  and  archery  —  shooting  with 
bows  and  arrows  —  came  next.  In  the  latter  con- 
test, king  Acestes  and  Mnestheus  took  part.  The 
other  competitors  were  Eu-ry'ti-on  and  Hip-poc'o-on. 
For  a  mark  to  shoot  at,  they  tied  a  pigeon  to  the 
top  of  a  tall  mast  set  firmly  in  the  ground.     Hip- 


8i 

pocoon  won  the  first  chance  in  the  drawing  of  lots. 
His  arrow  struck  the  mast  with  such  force  that  it 
fixed  itself  in  the  wood.  The  arrow  of  Mnestheus 
broke  the  cord  by  which  the  pigeon  was  attached  to 
the  mast,  and  as  she  flew  off,  Eurytion  discharged 
his  shaft  with  so  true  an  aim  that  it  killed  the  bird. 
Acestes,  who  had  drawn  the  last  lot,  now  fired, 
though  there  was  nothing  to  shoot  at,  but  his  arrow 
as  it  winged  its  way  high  into  the  air,  presented  to 
the  spectators  a  marvelous  sight. 

E'en  in  the  mid  expanse  of  skies 
The  arrow  kindles  as  it  flies, 
Behind  it  draws  a  fiery  glare. 
Then  wasting,  vanishes  in  air. 

CoNiNGTON,  ^nezd.  Book  V. 

y^neas  interpreted  this  wonderful  event  as  a  sign 
of  the  will  of  the  gods  that  Acestes  should  receive 
the  honors  of  victory,  and  so  he  presented  to  him  a 
goblet  embossed  in  gold,  which  had  belonged  to 
his  father  Anchises.  But  prizes  were  given  to  Eury- 
tion also  and  to  the  other  archers.  ~  Then  followed 
the  last  of  the  games  of  the  day,  a  grand  exhibition 
of  horsemanship,  in  which  a  number  of  the  Trojan 
youth,  —  chief  amongst  them  the  boy  lulus,  —  took 
the  leading  part. 

Thus  did  /Eneas  pay  honor  to  his  father's 
memory.       Meantime    the    unrelenting    Juno    was 

STO.   OF  i«NEAS  —  6 


82 

devising  schemes  to  prevent  the  hero  and  his  com- 
panions from  reaching  their  promised  land.  With 
this  object  she  sent  her  messenger  Tris  down  to  the 
Trojan  women,  who  sat  together  on  the  shore  while 
the  men  were  assembled  at  their  games,  for  at  these 
exercises  females  were  not  allowed  to  be  spectators. 
As  the  women  sat  on  the  beach,  looking  out  upon 
the  sea,  they  thought  and  talked  of  the  hardships 
they  had  endured  during  their  long  wanderings, 
and  lamented  their  wretched  lot  in  having  still  so 
much  to  suffer  before  they  could  find  permanent 
homes  to  settle  in. 

"Alas!  (said  one)  what  oceans  yet  remain 

For  us  to  sail!  what  labors  to  sustain!  " 

All  take  the  word,  and,  with  a  general  groan 

Implore  the  gods  for  peace,  and  places  of  their  own. 

Dryden,  Aineid,  Book  V. 

Iris  joined  in  these  complaints,  and  they  thought 
she  was  one  of  themselves,  for  she  had  assumed  the 
appearance  and  dress  of  a  Trojan,  and  pretended  to 
be  Ber'o-e,  a  Trojan  woman  who  was  just  then  an 
a  sick  bed  in  her  own  chamber.  "  Unhappy  are 
we,"  cried  the  false  Beroe  ;  "  far  better  for  us  would 
it  have  been  if  we  had  died  by  the  hands  of  the 
Greeks  before  the  walls  of  our  native  city !  What 
miserable  doom  does  fortune  reserve  for  us }  The 
seventh    year  since    the    destruction    of    Troy   has 


83 

already  passed,  and  yet,  after  having  wandered  over 
so  many  lands  and  seas,  we  still  pursue  an  ever- 
fleeing  Italy;  and  we  are  tossed  on  the  waves. 
Why  should  we  not  settle  here  in  Sicily?  Come 
then  and  let  us  burn  those  cursed  ships.  For  in 
my  sleep  the  prophetess  Cassandra  seemed  to  pre- 
sent me  with  flaming  brands  and  to  say,  '  Seek  here 
for  a  new  Troy,  here  is  your  home.'  Therefore 
let  there  be  no  further  delay.  Now  is  the  time  for 
action." 

With  these  words  she  seized  a  brand  from  a  fire 
on  an  altar  close  by,  and  hurled  it  towards  the  ships. 
But  at  this  point  one  of  the  women,  Pyr'go  by 
name,  who  had  just  then  joined  the  party,  discov- 
ered that  it  was  not  Beroe  who  had  been  speaking, 
for  she  recognized  in  the  eyes  and  voice  and  gait, 
the  resemblance  of  a  goddess. 

"  No  Beroe,  matrons,  have  you  here, 
See,  breathing  in  her  face  appear 

Signs  of  celestial  life; 
Observe  her  eyes,  how  bright  they  shine; 
Mien,  accent,  walk  are  all  divine. 
Beroe  herself  I  left  but  now 
Sick  and  outworn,  with  clouded  brow, 
That  she  alone  should  fail  to  pay 
Due  reverence  to  Anchises'  day." 

CoNiNGTON,  /Eneici,  Book  V. 

As   Pyrgo  ceased    speaking,    Iris,   assuming  her 


84 

own  form,  mounted  into  the  sky.  Then  the  Trojan 
women,  astonished  at  what  they  had  seen,  and 
excited  almost  to  madness,  cried  out  with  a  loud 
voice,  and,  seizing  brands  from  the  altars,  they 
rushed  to  the  ships. 

They  shriek  aloud;  they  snatch  with  impious  hands 
The  food  of  altars;  firs  and  flaming  brands, 
Green  boughs  and  saplings,  mingled  in  their  haste, 
And  smoking  torches,  on  the  ships  they  cast. 

Drvden,  yEneid^  Book  V. 

The  ships  were  now  on  fire  and  the  alarm  quickly 
reaching  the  men,  they  rushed  to  the  shore  and 
endeavored  to  subdue  the  flames,  while  the  women 
already  regretting  their  folly,  fled  in  terror  from  the 
scene.  But  in  spite  of  the  efforts  of  the  men  the 
fire  rapidly  spread,  and  it  seemed  as  if  the  entire 
Trojan  fleet  was  doomed  to  destruction.  Then  the 
pious  ^neas,  with  upraised  hands,  prayed  to  Jupiter 
for  help,  and  immediately  there  came  a  great  rain- 
storm, and  the  water  descended  in  torrents,  until 
every  spark  was  extinguished.  Four  of  the  ships, 
however,  were  destroyed. 

/Eneas  was  much  distressed  by  this  misfortune, 
and  he  began  to  think  that  it  might  be  better,  even  in 
disregard  of  the  fates,  and  the  prophecies,  to  remain 
in  Sicily,  than  to  make  any  further  attempt  to  reach 
the  promised  Italian  land.     But  one  of  his  people, 


85 

an  old  and  a  very  wise  man,  named  Nau'tes,  strongly 
urged  that  the  will  of  the  gods  ought  to  be  obeyed. 
As  to  those  who  were  weary  of  the  enterprise  —  the 
aged,  the  feeble,  and  such  of  the  women  as  were 
not  willing  to  undergo  further  fatigues  at  sea  —  he 
advised  that  they  should  be  left  under  the  protec- 
tion of  Acestes,  who,  being  himself  of  Trojan  blood, 
would  doubtless  grant  them  a  settlement  in  his 
kincrdom. 


'» 


"Your  friend  Acestes  is  of  Trojan  kind; 
To  him  disclose  the  secrets  of  your  mind; 
Here  you  may  build  a  common  town  for  all. 
And,  from  Acestes'  name,  Acesta  call." 

Dryden,  AHueid^  Book  V. 

While  yEneas  was  still  in  doubt  what  course  to 
pursue,  his  father  appeared  to  him  in  a  dream  and 
bade  him  do  as  Nautes  had  advised.  Acestes  will- 
ingly consented,  and  so  a  Trojan  colony  was 
formed  in  Sicily,  and  ^neas  marked  out  with  a 
plow  the  boundaries  of  the  new  city,  which  he 
called  after  the  kino^'s  name.  Soon  afterwards 
preparations  for  departure  were  made,  and  /Eneas 
set  sail,  accompanied  by  all  of  his  people  who  were 
still  willing  to  follow  his  fortunes,  and  strong 
enough  to  endure  further  toils  and  hardships. 

They  had  a  safe  voyage  to  Italy,  for  Venus  had 
entreated  Neptune  to  protect  her  son  and  his  fleet. 


86 

The  god  of  the  ocean  was  favorable,  and  he 
promised  to  take  care  that  the  Trojans  should  reach 
their  destination  in  safety.  But  there  was  to  be 
one  exception.  "  One  life,"  he  said,  "  shall  be  given 
for  many. '  The  victim  was  the  famous  pilot  Pali- 
nurus,  and  the  poet  tells  us  that  his  fate  was  brought 
about  by  the  action  of  Som'nus,  the  god  of  sleep. 

This  god  taking  upon  himself  the  likeness  of 
Phor'bas,  one  of  the  sons  of  Priam,  who  was  killed 
during  the  Trojan  war,  appeared  to  Palinurus 
during  one  of  the  watches  of  the  night,  and  tried  to 
persuade  him  to  lie  down  and  sleep,  while  he  himself 
would  stand  at  the  helm  and  steer  the  ship.  But 
Palinurus  refused  to  quit  his  post.  Then  the  treach- 
erous god  waved  before  his  eyes  a  branch  that  had 
been  dipped  in  the  Stygian  Le'the,  the  fabled  river 
of  forgetfulness,  and  soon  the  pilot  dropped  off  into 
a  deep  slumber,  during  which  Somnus  leaning 
heavily  upon  him,  plunged  him  headlong  into  the 
waves. 

i^neas  was  deeply  grieved  at  the  loss  of  his  faith- 
ful pilot.  He  himself  took  charge  of  the  ship,  and 
the  whole  fleet,  secure  under  the  protection  of  Nep- 
tune, "reached  the  Italian  coast  without  further 
mishap. 


V.     THE  SIBYL  OF  CUM^— THE  GOLDEN 

BOUGH  — IN  THE  REGIONS  OF 

THE  DEAD. 

y^NEAS  was  now  in  Italy,  but  not  in  the  part  of 
it  where  the  destined  city  was  to  be  founded.  The 
prophet,  Helenus,  as  we  have  seen,  had  directed  him 
that  when  he  reached  the  Hesperian  land  he  should 
visit  the  Cu-mae'an  Sibyl,  and  learn  from  her  what 
difficulties  he  was  yet  to  encounter,  and  how  to  over- 
come them.  Cumas,  where  the  Sibyl  dwelt,  was  on 
the  coast  of  Cam-pa'ni-a,  and  to  this  place,  therefore, 
yEneas  directed  his  course  after  leaving  Sicily. 
Having  safely  landed,  the  hero  lost  no  time  in 
making  his  way  to  the  temple  of  Apollo,  for  in  a 
cave  adjoining  this  temple  and  communicating 
with  it  by  a  hundred  doors  and  as  many  avenues 
or  corridors,  the  Sibyl  gave  her  answers. 

There  were  many  sibyls  in  ancient  times.     The 

most  celebrated  was  the  Sibyl  of  Cum^e.     She  had 

several    names,  but  the  one  adopted  by  Vergil  is 

De-iph'o-be.    Apollo  once  fell  in  love  with  this  Sibyl 

and  he  promised  to  give  her  whatever  she  should 

[87] 


88 

ask  if  she  would  marry  him.  Deiphobe  asked  to 
hve  as  many  years  as  she  had  grains  of  sand  in  her 
hand  at  the  time.  She  forgot,  however,  to  ask  for 
the  continuance  of  health  and  youth,  of  which  she 
w^as  then  in  possession.  Apollo  granted  her  request 
but  she  refused  to  perform  her  part  of  the  bargain, 
and  soon  afterwards  she  became  aged  and  feeble. 
She  had  already  lived  seven  hundred  years  when 
i^neas  came  into  Italy,  and  she  had  three  cen- 
turies more  to  live  before  her  years  would  be  as 
numerous  as  the  grains  of  sand  which  she  had 
held  in  her  hand. 

As  /Eneas  with  several  of  his  companions  ap- 
proached the  cave,  they  were  met  at  the  outer 
entrance  by  the  Sibyl  herself.  Then  the  Trojan 
hero,  after  a  prayer  to  Apollo,  begged  the  good  will 
of  the  prophetess  that  her  answers  might  be  favor- 
able to  him  and  his  people. 

"And  thou,  O  sacred  maid,  inspired  to  see 
The  event  of  things  in  dark  futurity  ! 
Give  me,  what  heaven  has  promised  to  my  fate, 
To  conquer  and  command  the  Latian  state  ; 
To  fix  my  wandering  gods,  and  find  a  place 
For  the  long  exiles  of  the  Trojan  race." 

Dryden,  ^neid.  Book  VI. 

Nor  did  /Eneas  forget  to  beg  the  Sibyl,  as  Hel- 
enus  had  directed  him,  to  give  her  revelations  by 


89 

word  of  mouth,  and  not  on  leaves  of  trees,  as  was 
her  custom. 

"  But,  oh  !  commit  not  thy  prophetic  mind 
To  flitting  leaves,  the  sport  of  every  wind, 
Lest  they  disperse  in  air  our  empty  fate  ; 
Write  not,  but,  what  the  powers  ordain,  relate." 

Dryden   ALneid^  Book  VI. 

The  Sibyl  graciously  consented,  and  then  the 
spirit  of  prophecy  having  moved  her,  she  told 
y^neas  of  the  dangers  that  yet  lay  before  him,  dan- 
gers far  more  formidable  than  any  he  had  hitherto 
encountered. 

"Escaped  the  dangers  of  the  watery  reign. 
Yet  more  and  greater  ills  by  land  remain. 
.The  coast  so  long  desired  (nor  doubt  the  event), 
Thy  troops  shall  reach,  but,  having  reached,  repent. 
Wars  !  horrid  wars,  I  view  !  —  a  field  of  blood, 
And  Tiber  rolling  with  a  purple  flood." 

Drydex,  ALneid^  Book  VI. 

But  .'Eneas  was  not  discouraged  by  this  terrible 
prophecy.  He  was  ready,  he  said,  to  meet  the 
worst  that  could  come,  and  now  he  was  about  to 
undertake  an  enterprise  more  arduous  than  any  the 
soothsayers  had  told  him  of.  This  was  a  descent 
into  the  regions  of  Pluto  —  the  land  of  the  dead  — 
to  visit  the  shade  of  his  father,  who  in  a  dream  had 
requested  him  to  do  so,  telling  him  that  the  Cumrean 


90 

Sibyl  would  be  his  guide,  for  the  entrance  to  the 
Lower  World  was  near  Lake  A-ver'nus,  not  far 
from  the  cave  of  the  prophetess. 

^neas,  therefore,  entreated  the  Sibyl  to  consent 
to  be  his  conductor  that  so  he  might  comply  with 
his  fathers  wish.  In  reply  to  this  request  the 
prophetess  warned  the  Trojan  chief  that  the  under- 
taking was  one  of  great  danger.  The  descent  into 
the  kingdom  of  Pluto,  she  said,  was  easy,  but,  to 
return  to  th*e  upper  world  —  that  was  a  task  diffi- 
cult for  mortals  to  accomplish.  Few  there  were  who 
had  entered  the  gloomy  realms  of  Dis,  to  whom  it 
had  been  permitted  ever  to  retrace  their  steps. 

"The  journey  down  to  the  abyss 

Is  prosperous  and  Hght ; 
The  palace-gates  of  gloomy  Dis 

Stand  open  day  and  night  ; 
But  upward  to  retrace  the  way 
And  pass  into  the  light  of  day, 
There  comes  the  stress  of  labor  ;  this 

May  task  a  hero's  might." 

CoNiNGTON,  ALneid^  Book  VI. 

Nevertheless  if  yEneas  were  still  determined  on 
this  perilous  journey  she  was  willing  to  aid  him  and 
be  his  guide.  But  one  thing,  she  said,  must  first  be 
done.  In  the  woods  around  the  cave  was  a  tree  on 
which  grew  a  bough  with  leaves  and  twigs  of  gold. 


9^ 

No  mortal  could  enter  Hades  without  this  bough  to 
present  to  Pro-ser'pi-na,  the  queen  of  Pluto.  When 
the  bough  was  torn  off,  a  second,  also  of  gold,  imme- 
diately sprung  up.  It  had  to  be  sought  for  diligently, 
and  when  discovered  it  had  to  be  grasped  firml)- 
with  the  hand.  If  the  fates  should  be  favorable  to 
the  enterprise,  the  bough  could  be  plucked  easily; 
otherwise,  the  strength  of  man  could  not  tear  it 
from  the  tree,  nor  could  it  be  lopped  off  even  with 
the  sharpest  sword. 

Here  was  a  formidable  difficulty.  How  was 
y^neas  to  find  out  the  wonderful  tree  .^  The  Sibyl 
told  him  only  that  it  was  in  the  woods,  and  the 
searchincj  mioht  be  lono^  and  fruitless.  But  aoain 
his  never-failino-  friend  came  to  his  aid.  While  he 
was  searching  the  wood  with  some  of  his  companions, 
two  doves  suddenly  appeared,  and  alighted  on  the 
ground  before  them.  yEneas  knew  that  they  had 
come  from  his  goddess-mother,  the  dove  being  the 
favorite  bird  of  Venus. 

He  knew  his  mother's  birds;  and  thus  he  prayed  : 
"  Be  you  my  guides,  with  your  auspicious  aid, 
And  lead  my  footsteps,  till  the  branch'be  found, 
Whose  glittering  shadow  gilds  the  sacred  ground." 

Drvden,  JEneid^  Book  VI. 

The  branch  was  soon  found,  for  the  doves,  flut- 
tering  away,   yet   keeping   within  view   of  ^4£neas, 


92 

presently  perched  upon  a  tree,  and  from  out  the 
foHage  of  this  tree,  as  the  Trojan  chief  approached 
it,  there  flashed  upon  his  eyes  the  gleam  of  the 
golden  bough.  Eagerly  he  plucked  off  the  branch, 
and  gladly  bore  it  to  the  cave  of  the  Sibyl. 

They  now  set  out  on  their  perilous  journey.  At 
the  mouth  of  the  gloomy  cavern  by  the  side  of 
Lake  Avernus,  which  was  the  opening  to  the  road 
that  led  to  Hades  —  the  kingdom  of  the  dead  — 
they  offered  sacrifices  to  the  gods.  Then  they 
plunged  into  the  cave,  the  Sibyl  going  first,  and 
y^neas  following  with  sword  drawn,  as  his  guide 
had  directed.  Many  strange  and  terrible  sights 
they  saw  on  the  way. 

Full  in  the  midst  an  aged  elm 
Broods  darkly  o'er  the  shadowy  realm  ; 
There  dream-land  phantoms  rest  the  wing, 
Men  say,  and  'neath  its  foliage  cling, 
And  many  monstrous  shapes  beside. 
There  Centaurs,  Scyllas,  fish  and  maid, 
There  Briareus'  hundred-handed  shade. 

CoNiNGTON,  y^neid.  Book  VI. 

^neas  was  about  to  rush  on  these  monsters 
with  his  sword,  when  the  Sibyl  informed  him  that 
they  were  no  real  beings  but  merely  phantoms. 
Then  they  came  to  the  Styx — the  river  of  Hades, 
over  which  the  ferryman  Cha'ron,  grim  and  long- 


93 

bearded,  conveyed  the  departed  spirits,  in  his  iron- 
colored  boat,  using  a  pole  to  steer  with. 

The  watery  passage  Charon  keeps 
Sole  warden  of  these  murky  deeps. 

CoNiNGTON,  ^'Eneid,  Book  VI. 

No  living  being  was  permitted  to  enter  Charon's 
boat,  or  to  cross  the  Stygian  river  without  the  pass- 
port of  the  golden  bough.  This  could  be  obtained 
only  by  special  favor  of  some  powerful  god,  and  few 
had  been  so  favored.  Even  the  dead,  if  their  bodies 
had  not  received  burial  rites,  were  refused  admis- 
sion to  the  boat,  until  they  had  wandered  on  the 
shore  for  a  hundred  years.  So  the  Sibyl  told  y^neas 
when  he  inquired  why  some  were  ferried  over,  while 
others  were  driven  back,  lamenting  that  they  were 
not  allowed  to  pass  to  their  destined  abode. 

"  The  ghosts  rejected  are  the  unhappy  crew 
Deprived  of  sepulchres  and  funeral  due  ; 
The  boatman,  Charon  ;   those,  the  buried  host, 
He  ferries  over  to  the  further  coast ; 
Nor  dares  his  transport  vessel  cross  the  waves 
With  such  whose  bones  are  not  composed  in  graves. 
A  hundred  years  they  wander  on  the  shore  ; 
At  length,  their  penance  done,  are  wafted  o'er." 

Dryden,  ^neid.  Book  VI. 

One  of  these  unhappy  spirits  /Eneas  recognised 
as  that   of  his  pilot   Palinurus,  who  told  the  hero 


94 

that  he  had  not  been  drowned,  or  plunged  into  the 
sea  by  a  god,  for  he  did  not  know  of  the  treachery 
of  Somnus.  He  had  fallen  overboard,  he  said,  and 
kept  afloat  for  three  days,  clinging  to  the  helm, 
which  he  had  dragged  away  with  him.  On  the 
fourth  day  he  had  swam  ashore  on  the  Italian  coast, 
and  would  have  been  out  of  danger,  had  not  the 
cruel  natives  there  fallen  upon  him  with  their 
swords.  His  body  he  said  was  now  tossing  about 
in  the  waters  of  the  harbor  of  Ve'li-a,  and  he 
begged  ^neas  to  seek  it  out  and  give  it  burial, 
or,  if  this  was  impossible,  to  devise  some  means  of 
helping  him  across  the  Stygian  river.  This  latter 
proposal  the  Sibyl  forbade  as  impious,  saying  that 
the  decrees  of  the  orods  could  not  be  thus  altered. 
But  she  consoled  Palinurus  by  predicting  that  the 
people  of  Velia  should  be  punished  by  plagues  from 
heaven  until  they  erected  a  tomb  to  his  memory, 
and  that  the  place  should  forever  bear  his  name. 
The  modern  name  of  the  place  is  Capo  di  Pali- 
nuro  —  Cape  of  Palinurus. 

yEneas  and  his  guide  now  approached  the  river. 
Charon  at  once  seeinor  that  they  were  mortal 
beings,  roughly  ordered  them  to  advance  no  further. 

"  Mortal,  whate'er,  who  this  forbidden  path 
In  arms  presum'st  to  tread  !     I  charge  thee,  stand, 
And  tell  thy  name,  and  business  in  the  land! 


L>>  it  u'll    /'J      I    ill  UIH. 


^NEAS    CROSSING    THE    SXYX. 


(95) 


96 

Know,  this  the  realm  of  night  —  the  Stygian  shore; 
My  boat  conveys  no  living  bodies  o'er." 

Dryden,  ^neid,  Book  VI. 

The  Sibyl  answered  that  her  companion  was  the 
Trojan  /Eneas,  illustrious  for  piety  and  valor,  who 
desired  to  go  down  to  the  shades  to  see  and  converse 
with  his  father  Anchises.  Then  from  underneath 
her  robe  she  produced  the  golden  bough. 

No  more  was  needful;  for  the  gloomy  god 
Stood  mute  with  awe,  to  see  the  golden  rod; 
Admired  the  destined  offering  to  his  queen  — 
A  venerable  gift,  so  rarely  seen. 

Drvden,  Mneid^  Book  VI. 

The  two  mortals  were  now  received  into  the  boat 
and  soon  ferried  safely  to  the  other  side.  There  they 
saw  the  three-headed  watchdog  Cer'be-rus,  who  made 
the  dreary  region  resound  with  his  frightful  barking. 
The  Sibyl  flung  him  a  cake  composed  of  honey  and 
drugged  grain,  which  he  greedily  swallowed.  Then 
the  monster  fell  into  a  deep  sleep.  The  passage 
being  thus  free,  they  proceeded  on  their  way.  Soon 
they  came  to  the  place  where  the  judge  Mi'nos  sat, 
examining  into  the  lives  and  crimes  of  departed 
mortals. 

Minos,  the  strict  inquisitor,  appears; 

And  lives  and  crimes,  with  his  assessors,  hears. 


97 

Round,  in  his  urn,  the  blended  balls  he  rolls, 
Absolves  the  just,  and  dooms  the  guilty  souls. 

Dryden,  A£neid,  Book  VI. 

In  one  of  the  outer  regions  of  the  shadowy  world 
he  had  now  entered,  a  region  which  the  poet  calls 
the  "  Mournino;  Fields,"  yEneas  beheld  the  shade  of 
the  unhappy  Carthaginian  queen. 

Whom  when  the  Trojan  hero  hardly  knew, 
Obscure  in  shades,  and  with  a  doubtful  view, 
With  tears  he  first  approached  the  sullen  shade; 
And  as  his  love  inspired  him,  thus  he  said: 
"Unhappy  queen!  then  is  the  common  breath 
Of  rumor  true,  in  your  reported  death. 
And  I,  alas!  the  cause  ?  —  By  Heaven,  I  vow, 
And  all  the  powers  that  rule  the  realms  below, 
Unwilling  I  forsook  your  friendly  state. 
Commanded  by  the  gods,  and  forced  by  Fate." 

Dryden,  Aincid,  Book  VI. 

But  the  mournful  shade  made  no  answer  to  the 
Trojan  hero's  vows  and  regrets. 

Disdainfully  she  looked;  then  turning  round, 
She  fixed  her  eyes  unmoved  upon  the  ground; 
And,  what  he  says  and  swears,  regards  no  more 
Than  the  deaf  rocks,  when  the  loud  billows  roar: 
But  whirled  away,  to  shun  his  hateful  sight, 
Hid  in  the  forest,  and  the  shades  of  night: 
Then  sought  Sichseus  through  the  shady  grove, 
Who  answered  all  her  cares,  and  equalled  all  her  love. 

Dryden,  /E^icid,  Book  VI. 
STO.   OF  .T.NEAS  —  7 


98 

They  next  came  to  the  Field  of  Heroes,  where 
i^neas  saw  the  shades  of  many  of  his  brave  comrades 
of  the  Trojan  war.  The  ghosts  crowded  round  him, 
standing  on  the  risfht  hand  and  on  the  left.  Nor  were 
they  satisfied  with  seeing  him  once.  They  wished  to 
detain  him  a  long  time,  to  talk  with  him  and  learn 
the  cause  of  his  strange  visit.  But  the  Sibyl  warned 
him  that  they  must  hasten  forward,  and  presently 
they  came  to  a  place  w^iere  the  path  divided  itself 
into  two.  The  right  led  by  the  walls  of  Pluto's 
palace  to  the  happy  Field  of  E-lys'ium,  the  land  of 
the  blessed.  The  left  path  led  to  Tar'ta-rus,  the 
abode  of  the  wicked.  At  this  place  ^neas  saw  a 
vast  prison,  inclosed  by  a  triple  wall,  around  which 
flowed  the  Phleo^'e-thon,  a  river  of  fire.  In  front  of 
it  was  a  huge  gate  of  solid  adamant. 

There  rolls  swift  Plegethon,  with  thund'ring  sound, 
His  broken  rocks,  and  whirls  his  surges  round. 
On  mighty  columns  rais'd  sublime  are  hung 
The  massy  gates  impenetrably  strong. 
In  vain  would  men,  in  vain  would  gods  essay, 
To  hew  the  beams  of  adamant  away. 

Pitt  ,  yKneiii,  Book  VI. 

Deep  groans  and  the  grating  of  iron  and  the  clank- 
ins  of  chains  were  heard  from  out  these  walls.  None 
except  the  lost  souls,  the  Sibyl  said,  were  allowed  to 
pass  the  threshold  of  Tartarus,  and  the  punishments 


99 

there,  and  the  crimes  for  which  the  wicked  suffered, 
were  such  that  she  could  rot  tell  them  though  she  had 
a  hundred  tongues. 

"  Had  I  a  hundred  mouths,  a  hundred  tongues, 
And  throats  of  brass,  inspired  with  iron  lungs, 
I  could  not  half  those  horrid  crimes  repeat, 
Nor  half  the  punishment  those  crimes  have  met." 

Dkvden,  /Encid^  Book  VI. 

Some  were  punished  by  being  tied  to  perpetually 
revolving  wheels  of  fire.  This  was  the  fate  of  a  king 
named  Ix-i'on.  Others,  like  the  robber  Sis'y-phus, 
were  condemned  to  roll  huge  stones  up  a  hill,  and 
just  on  reaching  the  summit,  the  stones  would 
slip  from  their  grasp  and  roll  to  the  foot  of  the  hill, 
and  the  unhappy  beings  had  to  roll  them  up  again, 
and  so  on  forever.  Others  were  tortured  like  Pi- 
rith'o-us,  who  stood  under  a  great  hanging  rock,  which 
threatened  every  moment  to  tumble  down  upon  him, 
keeping  him  in  constant  terror. 

The  Sibyl  told  ^4ineas  of  these  and  many  other 
punishments  appointed  by  the  gods  for  bad  men. 
Then  they  hastened  to  Pluto's  palace,  and  the  hero 
fixed  the  golden  bough  on  the  door,  after  which,  pro- 
ceeding on  their  way,  they  soon  came  to  the  Elysian 
Fields  —  the  abode  of  those  who  while  on  earth  had 
led  good  and  useful  lives.  Here  were  delightful 
green  fields  and  shady  groves ;   the  sky  was  bright. 


lOO 


the  air  pure  and  balmy.  The  happy  spirits  were  en- 
gaged in  sports,  such  as  had  been  their  pleasure  when 
in  the  world  above.  Some  were  wrestling  on  the 
grassy  plain,  others  exercising  with  spear  and  bow, 
others  singing  and  dancing. 

Their  airy  limbs  in  sports  they  exercise, 
And,  on  the  green,  contend  the  wrestler's  prize. 
Some,  in  heroic  verse,  divinely  sing; 
Others  in  artful  measures  lead  the  ring. 

Dryden,  /Eneid^  Book  VI. 

On  the  bank  of  a  beautiful  river  —  the  E-rid'a-nus 
—  flowing  over  sands  of  gold,  was  a  band  of  spirits 
whose  heads  were  crowned  with  white  garlands. 
These  were  the  spirits  of  patriots  who  had  fought  for 
their  country,  poets  who  had  sung  the  praises  of  the 
gods,  and  men  who  had  improved  life  by  the  inven- 
tion of  useful  arts.  In  this  band  was  Mu-sae'us,  the 
most  ancient  of  poets.  Approaching  him  the  Sibyl 
inquired  where  Anchises  might  be  found.  "  None  of 
us  here,"  answered  Musaeus,  "  has  a  fixed  abode. 
We  dwell  in  shady  groves,  or  lie  on  the  banks  of 
crystal  streams.  But  come  over  this  eminence  and 
I  will  direct  you  to  him  you  seek." 

Musaeus  then  led  them  to  a  spot  from  which  they 
could  view  the  bright  Elysian  fields  around,  and 
pointed  to  a  green  dale  where  at  last  they  beheld 
Anchises.     The  hero  hastened  to  approach  his  father. 


lOI 

eager  to  embrace  him,  and  thrice  did  he  attempt  to 
throw  his  arms  about  his  neck,  but  thrice  did  the 
form  escape  his  hold,  for  it  was  nothing  but  thin  air. 

Thrice,  around  his  neck,  his  arms  he  threw 
And  thrice  the  flitting  shadow  slipped  away, 
Like  winds,  or  empty  dreams,  that  fly  the  day. 

Dryden,  Mneid^  Book  VI. 

Anchises  told  his  son  much  about  the  dwellers  in 
Elysium,  On  the  banks  of  the  river  Lethe  —  the 
river  of  foroetfulness  —  was  a  countless  multitude  of 
spirits  which,  he  said,  were  yet  to  live  in  earthly 
bodies.  They  were  the  souls  of  unborn  generations 
of  men.  Amongst  them,  he  pointed  out  to  /Eneas,  the 
spirits  of  many  of  those  who  were  to  be  his  own  de- 
scendants in  the  kingdom  he  was  to  establish  in  Italy. 

The  father-spirit  leads 
The  priestess  and  his  son  through  swarms  of  shades. 
And  takes  a  rising  ground,  from  thence  to  see 
The  long  procession  of  his  progeny. 

Dryden,  yEnezd^  Book  VI. 

From  this  rising  ground  /Eneas  saw  the  shadowy 
forms  of  future  heroes  of  Rome  —  of  Rom'u-lus,  who 
was  to  found  the  city  —  of  Brutus,  Ca-mil'lus,  Fa'bi-us, 
and  of  the  mighty  Caesars. 

"  Lo  !   Caesar  there  and  ail  his  seed, 
lulus'  progeny  decreed 

To  pass  'neath  heaven's  high  dome. 


102 

I 

This,  this  is  he,  so  oft  the  theme 
Of  your  prophetic  fancy's  dream, 

Augustus  Caesar,  Jove's  own  strain." 

CoNiNGTON,  jEneid^  Book  VI. 

Anchises  next  told  y^neas  of  the  wars  he  should 
have  to  wage,  and  instructed  him  how  to  avoid  or 
overcome  every  difficulty.  Then  he  conducted  his 
visitors  to  the  gates  of  Sleep,  through  which  the  gods 
of  Hades  sent  dreams  to  the  upper  world  —  true 
dreams  through  the  gate  of  horn,  and  false  dreams 
through  the  gate  of  ivory.  Here  Anchises  left  them. 
Then  departing  by  the  ivory  gate  from  the  kingdom 
of  the  dead,  they  returned  to  the  Cumsean  cave,  and 
y^neas  forthwith  proceeded  to  his  ships. 

Sleep  gives  his  name  to  portals  twain; 

One  all  of  horn,  they  say. 
Through  which  authentic  spectres  gain 

Quick  exit  into  day, 
And  one  which  bright  with  ivory  gleams. 
Whence  Pluto  sends  delusive  dreams. 
Conversing  still,  the  sire  attends 

The  travellers  on  their  road, 
And  through  the  ivory  portal  sends 

From  forth  the  unseen  abode. 
The  chief  betakes  him  to  the  fleet, 
Well  pleased  again  his  crew  to  meet. 

CoNiNGTON,  Mneid,  Book  VI. 


VI.     ^NEAS  ARRIVES  IN  LATIUM  — WEL- 
COMED BY  KING  LATINUS. 

The  object  of  his  visit  to  the  Sibyl  being  accom- 
pHshecl,  the  Trojan  chief  set  sail  and  steered  along 
the  coast  in  the  direction  of  the  promised  land.  But 
soon  again  he  had  occasion  to  put  ashore.  His 
nurse,  Ca-i-e'ta,  having  died  shortly  after  the  depart- 
ure of  the  fleet  from  Cum^e,  he  desired  to  give  funeral 
honors  to  her  remains.  This  duty  performed,  he 
named  the  place  (modern  Gaeta)  in  memory  of  his 
faithful  and  attached  old  servant. 

And  thou,  O  matron  of  immortal  fame! 
Here  dying,  to  the  shore  hast  left  thy  name; 
Caieta  still  the  place  is  called  from  thee, 
The  nurse  of  great  Eneas'  infancy. 
Here  rest  thy  bones  in  rich  Hesperia's  plains; 
Thy  name  ('tis  all  a  ghost  can  have)  remains. 

Dryden,  /Eiteid,  Book  VII. 

Again  resuming  their  voyage  they  came  near  an 
island  where  dwelt  the  sorceress,  Cir'ce,  who  by  her 
enchantments  changed  men  into  beasts.  As  thev 
passed  the  island  the  Trojans  heard  with  horror  the 

[103] 


I04 

roaring  of  lions  and  the  howling  of  wolves,  once 
human  beings,  but  transformed  by  the  cruel  goddess 
into  the  shape  of  those  savage  animals.  Aided,  how- 
ever, by  favorable  winds  sent  by  the  friendly  Nep- 
tune, they  sped  away  from  this  dangerous  spot, 
and  soon  they  were  near  the  end  of  their  wan- 
derings. At  the  dawn  of  next  morning  they  be- 
held a  spacious  grove,  through  which  a  pleasant 
river,  tinted  with  the  hue  of  the  yellow  sand, 
burst  forth  into  the  sea.  This  was  the  Tiber 
on  whose  banks  in  the  distant  future  was  to  be 
founded  the  city  in  which  the  descendants  of  the 
Trojan  prince  should  hold  imperial  sway,  ^neas, 
though  not  aware  that  he  was  so  close  to  the  des- 
tined spot,  commanded  his  pilots  to  turn  the  ships 
towards  the  land,  and  joyfully  they  entered  the  river. 
All  around,  the  Trojan  chief,  as  he  gazed  upon 
the  scene,  could  hear  the  sweet  music  of  the  groves. 

Embowered  amid  the  silvan  scene 
Old  Tiber  winds  his  banks  between, 
Around,  gay  birds  of  diverse  wing, 
Accustomed  there  to  fly  or  sing, 
Were  fluttering  on  from  spray  to  spray 
And  soothing  ether  with  their  lav. 

CoNiNGTON,  yEtieid,  Book  VII. 

The  country  in  which  the  Trojans  had  now  landed 
was  called  Latium,  and  La-ti'nus  was  its  kino^.  Like 
most  great  kings  of  ancient  times,  he  was  descended 


I05 

from  a  god.  His  father,  Faunus,  was  the  grandson 
of  Saturn,  the  predecessor  and  father. of  Jupiter. 

Latinus  was  advanced  in  years,  and  he  had  no 
male  heir,  but  he  had  an  only  daughter,  young  and 
beautiful,  whose  name  was  La-vin'i-a.  Many  of  the 
princes  of  the  neighboring  states  eagerly  sought  La- 
vinia's  hand  in  marriage.  Chief  amongst  them  was 
Turnus,  king  of  the  Ru'tu-li,  a  brave  and  handsome 
youth.  Lavinia's  mother,  Queen  A-ma'ta,  favored 
the  suit  of  Turnus,  and  desired  to  have  him  as  her 
son-in-law. 

But  the  gods  had  not  willed  it  so,  and  they  sent 
signs  from  heaven  —  signs  of  their  disapproval  of  the 
proposed  union.  In  the  inner  court  of  the  palace 
of  Latinus  stood  a  laurel  tree  which  had  been  pre- 
served for  many  years  with  great  reverence.  From 
this  tree,  it  was  said,  Latinus  had  given  the  name  Lau- 
ren'tines  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  country.  Just 
about  the  time  the  Trojan  fleet  was  entering  the 
Tiber  an  immense  number  of  bees  were  seen  to 
cluster  on  the  top  of  the  laurel  tree,  and  soon  link- 
ing together,  feet  to  feet,  they  swung  in  a  strange 
manner  from  one  of  the  boughs.  The  king's  sooth- 
sayer explained  this  to  mean  that  a  foreign  hero  was 
then  coming  into  the  country,  and  that  he  would  one 
day  be  its  ruler. 

About  the  same  time,  while  the  princess  Lavinia 


io6 

was  brinsfino:  fire  to  an  altar  where  her  father  stood 
preparing  to  offer  sacrifice,  the  flame  seemed  to 
catch  her  flowing  hair,  and  to  envelop  her  whole 
body  in  its  glowing  light,  without,  however,  inflicting 
the  slightest  injury.  The  soothsayer  declared  that 
this  was  a  sign  that  Lavinia  would  be  great  and  fa- 
mous, but  that  through  her  war  should  come  on  the 
people. 

"  The  nymph  who  scatters  flaming  fires  around, 
Shall  shine  with  honor,  shall  herself  be  crowned; 
But,  caused  by  her  irrevocable  fate, 
War  shall  the  country  waste,  and  change  the  state." 

Dryden,  ^'Efietd,  Book  VII. 


The  kins:  was  much  troubled  bv  these  events  and 
so  he  went  into  the  wood,  to  the  tomb  of  his  father, 
Faunus,  by  whom  answers  were  given  in  dreams  to 
those  who,  having  offered  sacrifices,  lay  down  and 
slept  under  the  trees.  Latinus,  after  performing  the 
necessary  ceremonies,  soon  heard  the  voice  of  his 
father  warning  him  not  to  give  his  daughter  in  mar- 
riage to  any  prince  of  his  own  country.  "A  for- 
eigner," said  he,  "  is  coming  who  shall  be  your  son- 
in-law,  and  his  descendants  shall  exalt  our  name  to 
the  stars.  From  his  race,  united  with  ours,  shall 
spring  mighty  men,  who  shall  conquer  and  rule  the 
world  to  its  farthest  limits." 

Kins:  Latinus  did  not  conceal  his  dream.     On  the 


I07 

contrary  he  proclaimed  it  aloud  to  his  people. 
And  so  the  news  of  the  arrival  of  the  strangers 
with  their  ships  came  not  as  a  surprise  to  the  inhab- 
itants of  Latium. 

Meanwhile  the  Trojans  having  landed  upon  the 
Latian  coast,  /Eneas  and  several  of  his  chiefs,  ac- 
companied by  his  son  lulus,  sat  down  under  a  tall 
tree  to  refresh  themselves  with  food  and  drink. 
They  had  cakes  of  wheat,  the  last  of  their  store, 
spread  upon  the  grass,  and  upon  these  cakes  they 
placed  wild  fruits  which  they  had  gathered  in  the 
woods.  When  they  had  eaten  the  fruit,  they  pro- 
ceeded to  eat  the  cakes,  upon  which  lulus  ex- 
claimed, "What,  are  we  eating  our  tables  too.f^" 
The  boy  had  no  thought  of  the  meaning  of  what 
they  had  been  doing.  But  .Eneas  joyfully  recog- 
nized it  as  the  fulfillment  of  the  threatening  pro- 
phecy of  the  Harpy  Celasna.  The  cakes  were  the 
tables,  and  the  Trojans  had  now  eaten  them  with- 
out harm. 

Then  /Eneas  spoke  encouraging  words  to  his 
companions.  "  Hail,  O  land,  destined  to  us  by  the 
Fates!  This  is  our  home;  this  is  our  country.  For 
my  father  too  (as  I  now  remember),  told  me  in 
Elysium  these  same  secrets,  saying:  'When  hunger 
shall  compel  you,  my  son,  wafted  to  an  unknown 
shore,  to  eat  up  your  tables,  your  provisions  having 


io8 

failed,  then  you  may  hope  for  a  settlement  after  your 
toils,  and  in  that  place  you  may  found  your  first 
city.'  Here  was  that  famine  of  which  he  spoke. 
Our  calamities  are  now  at  an  end.  Let  us,  then, 
with  the  first  light  of  to-morrow's  sun,  explore  this 
country,  ascertain  who  are  its  inhabitants,  and  where 
their  cities  are." 

Next  day,  when  ^neas  learned  what  country  he 
was  in,  and  the  name  of  its  king,  he  sent  ambassa- 
dors—  a  hundred  of  his  chiefs  —  to  wait  on  Latinus 
and  beg  his  friendship  and  assistance,  furnishing 
them  W'ith  costly  gifts  for  the  king.  The  chiefs 
hastened  on  their  mission  to  Latinus,  and  /Eneas 
meanwhile  began  to  mark  out  the  boundaries  of  a 
new  city. 

When  the  Trojan  ambassadors  reached  Lau-ren'- 
tum,  the  capital  of  Latium,  they  were  admitted  to 
the  royal  palace  and  brought  into  the  presence  of 
the  king,  who  was  seated  on  his  throne  —  a  magnifi- 
cent structure  raised  aloft  on  a  hundred  columns, 
around  which  were  numerous  statues  of  the  kino^'s 
ancestors,  carved  in  cedar  wood.  Latinus,  after 
civilly  greeting  the  strangers,  bade  them  say  for 
what  purpose  they  had  come  to  Italy;  whether  they 
had  landed  in  his  country  because  of  having  missed 
their  course  at  sea,  or  through  stress  of  weather. 
He  added    that   w^hatever  was  the   object  of  their 


I09 

coming,  they  should   receive  kind   treatment  from 
him  and  his  people. 

To  these  friendly  words  Ilioneus,  speaking  for 
the  Trojans,  replied  that  it  was  no  storm  that  sent 
them  to  Italy.  "  Willingly  and  with  design,"  said 
he,  "have  we  come  to  your  shores,  O  king,  after 
having  been  expelled  from  a  kingdom  once  the 
most  powerful  under  the  sun.  Our  race  is  derived 
from  Jupiter  himself,  and  our  chief,  /Eneas,  de- 
scended from  the  gods,  has  sent  us  to  your  court. 
All  the  world  has  heard  of  the  destruction  of  our 
city,  Troy.  Driven  by  misfortunes  over  many 
seas,  we  beg  for  a  settlement  in  your  country.  Dar- 
danus,  our  ancestor,  was  born  in  this  land,  and  now 
his  descendants,  directed  by  the  gods,  come  to  the 
home  of  their  father."  They  then  preserited  to  the 
king  the  costly  gifts  which  ^neas  had  sent. 

"  Our  prince  presents  with  his  request, 
Some  small  remains  of  what  his  sire  possessed  ; 
This  golden  charger,  snatched  from  burning  Troy, 
Anchises  did  in  sacrifice  employ  ; 
This  royal  robe  and  this  tiara  wore 
Old  Priam,  and  this  golden  sceptre  bore 
In  full  assemblies,  and  in  solemn  games  ; 
These  purple  vests  were  weaved  by  Dardan  dames." 

Drvden,  yEneid^  BoOK  VII. 

After  Ilioneus  had  ceased  speaking,  the  king  was 
silent  for  some  time,  pondering  on  the  words  of  his 


I  lO 


father  which  he  had  heard  in  the  dream,  ^^neas, 
he  thought,  must  be  the  foreigner,  destined  to  be  his 
son-in-law,  whose  descendants  should  rule  the  world. 
Then  he  addressed  the  Trojans,  saying  that  what  they 
asked  should  gladly  be  given,  and  requesting  them 
to  tell  their  chief,  .tineas,  to  visit  him.  "  Bear  this 
message  too,"  said  he,  "from  me  to  your  king.  I 
have  a  daughter  whom  the  gods  do  not  permit  me 
to  give  in  marriage  to  any  of  our  own  nation. 
There  is  a  prediction  that  my  son-in-law  shall  be  a 
stranger,  and  that  his  race  shall  exalt  our  name  to 
the  stars.  I  judge  that  your  chief  is  the  man  thus 
destined  by  the  fates,  and  this  too  is  my  own 
wish." 

Then  Latinus  gave  valuable  presents  to  the 
Trojans  —  to  each  a  steed  from  the  royal  stables, 
with  rich  purple  trappings.  To  ^^neas  him- 
self he  sent  a  chariot  and  a  pair  of  horses  of  the 
breed  which  the  sorceress,  Circe,  had  obtained  from 
the  sun-god,  her  father.  With  these  presents,  the 
Trojan  ambassadors,  mounted  on  their  splendid 
steeds,  returned  to  their  chief,  and  joyfully  informed 
him  of  the  king's  message  and  invitation. 

But  this  friendship  shown  to  the  Trojans  by  King 
Latinus  was  not  at  all  agreeable  to  Juno.  On  the 
contrary  that  unforgiving  goddess  was  filled  with 
grief  and  anger  when  she  saw  y^neas  and  his  people 


iir 

engaged  in  building  their  city  and  settling  them- 
selves in  their  new  home,  and  so  she  resolved  to 
stir  up  strife  between  the  Trojans  and  Latinus. 
With  this  object  she  called  to  her  aid  A-lec'to,  one 
of  the  three  terrible  sisters  called  Furies.  These 
were  evil  deities  whose  usual  occupation  was  to 
scourge  and  torment  condemned  souls  in  the 
kingdom  of  Pluto,  and  drive  them  to  the  gates  of 
Tartarus.  They  sometimes  also  caused  trouble 
in  the  upper  world,  by  exciting  dissensions  and 
brinoino^  about  wars.  This  was  the  service  which 
Juno  now  required,  and  so,  addressing  Alecto  she 
requested  her  to  stir  up  discord  between  the  people 
of  Latium  and  the  followers  of  y^neas. 

"  '  Tis  thine  to  ruin  realms,  o'erturn  a  state, 
Betwixt  the  dearest  friends  to  raise  debate, 
And  kindle  kindred  blood  to  mutual    hate. 
Thy  hand  o'er  towns  the  funeral  torch  displays, 
And  forms  a  thousand  ills  ten  thousand  ways. 
Now,  shake  from  out  thy  frightful  breast,  the  seeds 
Of  envy,  discord,  and  of  cruel  deeds  ; 
Confound  the  peace  established,  and  prepare 
Their  souls  to  hatred,  and  their  hands  to  war." 

Dryden',  ^neid.  Book  VII. 

Alecto,  glad  to  be  thus  employed,  hastened  to  the 
palace  of  Latinus,  and  sought  out  Queen  Amata, 
who,  as  has  already  been  said,  desired  to  have 
Turnus  for  her  son-in-law.     The  Furies  were  hide- 


(H2) 


ii3 

ous  beings  in  appearance,  for  instead  of  hair  they 
had  serpents  coiled  around  their  heads.  Alecto 
unseen  by  Amata,  shook  her  terrible  locks,  upon 
which  one  of  the  reptiles  darted  into  the  dress  of 
the  queen;  and,  gliding  unfelt  around  her  body, 
infused  into  her  heart  a  violent  hatred  of  the  Trojans. 

Unseen,  unfelt,  the  fiery  serpent  skims  ; 
His  baneful  breath  inspiring  as  he  glides  ; 
Now  like  a  chain  around  her  neck  he  rides  ; 
Now  like  a  fillet  to  her  head  repairs, 
And  with  his  circling  volumes  folds  her  hairs. 
At  first  the  silent  venom  slid  with  ease, 
And  seized  her  cooler  senses  by  degrees. 

Dryden,  Mneid^  Book  VII. 

Amata  now  endeavored  to  turn  the  mind  of  Lati- 
nus  against  the  proposed  marriage,  but  he  was  not  to 
be  moved  from  his  purpose  of  forming  an  alliance 
with  the  Trojans.  Then  the  queen  filled  with  anger 
rushed  out  of  the  palace,  as  if  in  a  frenzy,  and  hast- 
ening through  the  city  called  upon  the  women  of 
Latium  to  espouse  her  cause  and  the  cause  of  their 
country.  She  also  carried  off  her  daughter,  and 
concealed  her  in  the  mountains,  to  prevent  her  mar- 
riage with  the  hated  Trojan. 

Having  thus  kindled  discord  in  the  family  of 
Latinus,  Alecto  next  proceeded  to  Ar'de-a  the 
Rutulian   capital.      Here  she  assumed  the  form  of 

STU.   OF  /ENEAS  —  S 


114 

Cary-be,  an  aged  priestess  of  Juno's  temple,  and 
appearing  to  King  Turnus  in  a  dream  as  he  lay 
asleep  in  his  palace,  urged  him  to  take  up  arms 
against  Latinus  and  the  strangers.  Turnus  was  not 
yet  disposed  to  take  this  course,  and  so  he  replied 
to  the  seeming  priestess,  that  her  duty  was  to  guard 
the  statues  and  temples  of  the  gods,  and  he  advised 
her  to  leave  to  men  the  management  of  affairs  of 
peace  and  war.  Enraged  by  the  words  of  Turnus 
Alecto  now  resumed  her  Fury's  form. 

Her  eyes  grow  stiffened,  and  with  sulphur  burn  ; 
Her  hideous  looks,  and   hellish   form  return  ; 
Her  curling  snakes  with  hissings  fill  the  place, 
And  open  all  the  furies  of  her  face  ; 
Then,  darting  fire  from  her  malignant  eyes, 
She  cast  him  backward  as  he  strove  to  rise. 

Dryden,  Aineid,  Book  VII. 

Then  crying  out  that  she  came  from  the  abode  of 
the  dire  sisters,  and  that  wars  and  death  were  in  her 
hands,  she  flung  a  fire-brand  at  the  king,  and  dis- 
appeared. Turnus  started  from  his  sleep,  in  terror, 
and  now  his  breast  was  filled  with  eager  desire 
for  war.  Immediately  he  sent  orders  amongst  his 
chiefs  to  prepare  to  defend  Italy  and  expel  the 
foreigners,  declaring  that  he  and  his  people  were  a 
match  for  Trojans  and  Latins  combined. 

Meanwhile   Alecto,   her  mission   of  discord   not 


115 

yet  completed,  appeared  among  a  band  of  Trojan 
youths  who  with  lulus  at  their  head  were  amusing 
themselves  by  hunting  in  the  forest.  The  Fury 
hurled  a  fire-brand  at  the  hounds,  and  suddenly,  as 
if  seized  with  madness,  they  rushed  in  pursuit  of  a 
beautiful  young  stag  which  was  sporting  among  the 
trees.  This  stag  was  a  pet  of  Syl'vi-a,  the  daughter 
of  Tvr'rheus,  one  of  the  herdsmen  of  Kins^  Latinus. 
lulus  seeing  the  hounds  in  pursuit,  followed  them, 
and  shot  at  and  wounded  the  stag.  The  animal 
fled  to  the  house  of  Tyrrheus,  where  Sylvia,  seeing 
her  pet  covered  with  blood,  broke  out  into  loud 
lamentations.  Her  father  in  a  fit  of  ano-er  seized  a 
weapon,  and  joined  by  some  of  his  friends  rushed 
upon  lulus  and  his  companions.  The  alarm 
quickly  reaching  the  camp  of  the  Trojans  several  of 
them  hastened  to  assist  their  countrymen,  and  a 
fierce  battle  ensued,  in  which  many  of  the  Latians 
or  Latins  were  killed.  Thus  the  evil  project  of 
Juno  was  accomplished. 

Then  Juno  thus  :   ''  The  grateful  work  is  done, 
The  seeds  of  discord  sowed,  the  war  begun  ; 
Frauds,  fears  and  fury,  have  possessed  the  state, 
And  fixed  the  causes  of  a  lasting  hate." 

Dryden,  ^iieid.  Book  VII. 

And   now  the    Latian   youth,   chiefly  shepherds, 
who  had  taken   part    with    Tyrrheus,   rushed   from 


ii6 

the  field  of  battle  into  the  city,  carrying  with  them 
the  bodies  of  their  friends  who  had  been  slain, 
and  crying  to  the  gods  and  to  King  Latinus  for 
vengeance  upon  the  Trojans.  Just  then  King 
Turnus  appeared  with  a  force  of  his  Rutulians, 
and  addressed  the  people  in  words  which  excited 
them  to  the  highest  pitch  of  fury.  He  told  them 
that  foreigners  had  been  invited  to  rule  in  their 
country,  and  that  the  chief  of  the  intruders  was  to 
have  the  princess  who  had  been  promised  to  him 
to  be  his  wife. 

Then  a  great  multitude  of  Latians  and  Rutulians 
hastened  to  the  palace  of  King  Latinus,  and  de- 
manded that  he  should  at  once  declare  war  against 
the  Trojans.  Latinus  refused  to  do  what  he  knew 
was  against  the  decrees  of  the  gods,  and  he  warned 
the  people  that  evil  would  come  upon  them  if  they 
persevered  in  their  mad  opposition  to  the  will  of 
heaven.  He  also  warned  Turnus  that  he  would  be 
punished  for  inciting  such  a  war,  and  that  he  should 
one  day  seek  the  aid  of  the  gods,  and  seek  it  in 
vain.  As  for  himself,  he  said,  he  was  an  old  man. 
Their  folly  could  deprive  him  only  of  a  happy  end- 
ing of  a  life  which  could  not  be  much  further  pro- 
longed. He  then  retired  to  his  palace,  and  gave  up 
the  reins  of  government,  leaving  the  people  to  pur- 
sue their  own  course. 


1 1 


/ 


He  said  no  more,  but,  in  his  walls  confined, 
Shut  out  the  woes  which  he  too  well  divined  ; 
Nor  with  the  rising  storm  would  vainly  strive, 
But  left  the  helm,  and  let  the  vessel  drive. 

Drydf.n,  /Sneid,  Book  VIl. 

In  spite  of  the  warning  of  their  king,  the  Latians 
now  resolved  upon  war  against  the  Trojans  and 
they  demanded  that  the  gates  of  the  temple  of  Janus 
should  be  thrown  open.  Janus  was  the  most  ancient 
king  who  reigned  in  Italy.  When  he  died  he  was 
worshipped  as  a  god,  and  a  magnificent  temple  was 
erected  in  his  honor.  The  gates  of  this  temple  were 
always  open  in  times  of  war  and  shut  in  times  of 
peace.  They  were  opened  by  the  king,  and  in  later 
ages,  when  Rome  was  a  republic,  the  president  or 
consul  performed  the  ceremony  dressed  in  robes  of 
purple  and  attended  by  multitudes  of  citizens  and 
soldiers,  with  the  blaring  of  trumpets. 

Two  gates  of  steel  (the  name  of  Mars  they  bear, 
And  still  are  worshipped  with  religious  fear) 
Before  his  temple  stand  ;  the  dire  abode. 
And  the  feared  issues  of  the  furious  god. 
Then,  when  the  sacred  senate  votes  the  wars. 
The  Roman  consul  their  decree  declares. 
And  in  his  robes  the  sounding  gates  unbars. 
The  youth  in  military  shouts  arise. 
And  the  loud  trumpets  break  the  yielding  skies. 

Dryden,  jEneid,  Book  VII. 


ii8 

The  Latians  now  requested  their  king  to  unlock 
the  gates  of  the  temple  of  Janus  in  accordance  with 
the  ancient  custom.  Latinus  refused  saying  that 
to  do  so  would  be  a  defiance  of  the  gods.  But  the 
goddess  Juno,  resolved  that  there  should  be  no  peace, 
descended  from  the  skies,  and  with  her  own  hands 
pushed  back  the  bolts  of  brass,  and  flung  wide  open 
the  gates.  Then  the  cry  of  war  went  forth  through- 
out the  land  and  everywhere  men  began  to  prepare 
for  the  conflict,  giving  up  their  work  in  the  fields  to 
get  ready  their  spears  and  shields  and  battle-axes. 
Soon  a  vast  number  of  warriors  was  marshalled 
under  King  Turnus  to  drive  the  Trojans  out  of 
Italy.  Vergil  gives  a  long  list  of  the  famous  chiefs 
who  assembled  on  this  occasion. 

First  came  Me-zen'ti-us,  an  Etrurian  king,  fierce 
in  war,  but  a  despiser  of  the  gods.  His  own  people 
had  expelled  him  from  their  country,  for  his  cruelty, 
and  he  had  taken  refuge  with  King  Turnus.  His 
son  Lausus  also  came  to  the  war  with  a  thousand 
men  from  the  Etrurian  city  of  A-gyl'la.  Next  came 
the  brave  Av-en-ti'nus,  son  of  the  renowned  hero, 
Her'cu-les,  who  performed  those  marvelous  feats,  of 
which  we  read  with  wonder  in  the  ancient  lea^ends. 
Aventinus  was  a  warrior  of  terrible  appearance,  his 
body  covered  with  the  shaggy  hide  of  an  enormous 
lion,   the    white    tusks    displayed    above    his    head. 


119 

King  Ccec'u-lus,  son  of  the  god  Vulcan,  came  from 
the  city  of  Prae-nes'te  with  an  army  who  fought  with 
sHnofs,  wore  helmets  of  wolf-skins,  and  marched  with 
one  foot  naked. 

Nor  arms  they  wear,  nor  swords  and  bucklers  wield, 
Nor  drive  the  chariot  through  the  dusty  field; 
But  whirl  from  leathern  slings  huge  balls  of  lead; 
And  spoils  of  yellow  wolves  adorn  their  head; 
The  left  foot  naked,  when  they  march  to  fight; 
But  in  a  bull's  raw  hide  they  sheath  the  right. 

Drvden,  /Etieid^  Book  VII. 

From  the  mountains  of  Etruria  came  the  gallant 
horseman,  Mes-sa'pus,  Neptune's  son,  "  whom  none 
had  power  to  prostrate  by  fire  or  steel."  The  mighty 
King  Clausus  led  to  the  field  a  great  host  from  the 
country  of  the  Sabines,  and  an  army  of  the  Qui-ri'tes 
from  the  town  of  Cu'res.  This  name,  Quirites  was 
in  later  ages  one  of  the  names  bv  which  the  citizens 
of  Rome  were  called.  Another  of  the  warriors  was 
Umbro,  chief  of  the  Maru'vi-i,  who  could  charm 
serpents  and  heal  wounds  inflicted  by  their  bites. 

All  these  and  many  more  of  the  princes  of  Italy, 
assembled  with  their  armies  at  the  call  of  Turnus. 
Greatest  amongst  them  was  Turnus  himself,  tallest  by 
a  head,  and  clad  in  armor  brilliant  with  embroidered 
<rold.  There  was  one  female  warrior  amongfst 
his  allies.     This  was  Ca-mil'la,  the  queen  of  the  Vol- 


JJruzcn  by   I'aiian. 
(I20) 


Camilla. 


121 


scians.  She  was  the  daughter  of  King  Met'a-bus, 
who,  hke  Mezentius,  had  been  driven  from  his  king- 
dom by  his  own  people,  because  he  was  a  cruel 
tyrant.  In  his  flight,  for  the  enraged  people  pursued 
him  to  take  his  life,  he  carried  with  him  his  infant 
daughter  Camilla.  Coming  to  the  bank  of  a  river 
and  still  pursued  by  his  enemies,  he  bound  the  child 
fast  to  his  javelin,  and  holding  the  weapon  in  his 
hands,  he  prayed  to  Di-a'na,  goddess  of  hunters  and 
hunting,  and  dedicated  his  daughter  to  her  saying, 
"  To  thee,  goddess  of  the  woods,  I  devote  this  child 
to  be  thy  handmaid,  and  committing  her  to  the  wind, 
I  implore  thee  to  receive  her  as  thine  own."  Then 
he  hurled  the  spear  across  the  river,  and  plunging 
into  the  water  swam  to  the  other  side,  where  he 
found  the  javelin  fixed  in  the  bank,  and  the  infant 
uninjured. 

After  this  achievement  Metabus  retired  to  the 
mountains,  where  he  led  the  life  of  a  shepherd.  As 
soon  as  the  child  was  able  to  hold  a  weapon  in  her 
hand,  he  trained  her  to  the  use  of  javelins  and 
arrows  and  she  grew  up  to  be  a  brave  and  skillful 
warrior.  In  course  of  time  she  returned  to  the  kins:- 
dom  from  which  her  father  had  been  expelled,  and 
became  celebrated  as  a  runner  of  wondrous  speed. 


VII.     ALLIANCE   WITH    EVANDER  — VULCAN 

MAKES  ARMS  FOR  yENEAS  — THE 

FAMOUS  SHIELD. 

Meanwhile  yEneas  was  considering  how  to  de- 
fend himself  and  his  people  against  the  enemy  who 
was  thus  marshalling  such  mighty  forces  against  him. 
He  thought  of  many  plans  without  being  able  to 
decide  upon  any. 

This  way,  and  that,  he  turns  his  anxious  mind; 
Thinks,  and  rejects  the  counsels  he  designed; 
Explores  himself  in  vain  in  every  part, 
And  gives  no  rest  to  his  distracted  heart 

Drvden,  yEneid,  Book  VIII. 

But  fortune  again  favored  the  pious  chief.  In  a 
dream  the  river  god,  Tib-e-ri'nus,  arrayed  in  garb  of 
green,  with  a  crown  of  reeds  upon  his  head  (old 
Father  Tiber  himself,  the  guardian  genius  of  Rome 
in  later  ages)  appeared  to  him,  and  told  him  where 
to  seek  help.  He  repeated  the  prophecy  of 
Helenus,  about  the  sow  with  her  litter  of  thirty 
young,  and  he  directed  yEneas  to  repair  to  Pal- 
lan-te'um,  a  city  further  up  the  river,  whose  king, 

[122] 


123 

E-van'der,  being  frequently  at  war  with  the  Latians, 
would  gladly  join  the  Trojans.  The  good  father 
promised  that  he  himself  would  conduct  the 
Trojans  along  his  banks,  and  bear  them  safely 
on  his  waters  until  they  reached  the  Kingdom  of 
Evander. 

"To  thy  free  passage  I  submit  my  streams. 
Wake,  son  of  Venus,  from  thy  pleasing  dreams! 
And  when  the  setting  stars  are  lost  in  day. 
To  Juno's  power  thy  just  devotion  pay; 
With  sacrifice  the  wrathful  queen  appease; 
Her  pride  at  length  shall  fall,  her  fury  cease. 
When  thou  return'st  victorious  from  the  war, 
Perform  thy  vows  to  me  with  grateful  care. 
The  god  am  I,  whose  yellow  water  flows 
Around  these  fields,  and  fattens  as  it  goes; 
Tiber  my  name  —  among  the  rolling  floods 
Renowned  on  earth,  esteemed  among  the  gods." 

Dryden,  ^neid.  Book  VHI. 

Old  Father  Tiber  then  plunged  into  the  middle 
of  the  river,  and  disappeared  from  the  hero's  view. 
When  /Eneas  awoke  he  immediately  prepared  for 
his  journey,  selecting  two  ships  from  his  fleet  and 
furnishinor  them  with  men  and  arms.  As  he  was 
about  to  depart,  the  prophecy  only  just  repeated  by 
the  river  god  was  fulfilled  before  his  eyes;  for  on  the 
bank  where  he  stood,  a  white  sow  suddenly  appeared 
with  a  litter  of  thirty  young  ones. 


124 

When  lo!  a  sudden  prodigy; 

A  milk-white  sow  is  seen 
Stretched  with  her  young  ones,  white  as  she, 

Along  the  margent  green, 
^neas  takes  them,  dam  and  brood, 
And  o'er  the  altars  pours  their  blood, 
To  thee,  great  Juno,  e'en  to  thee. 

High  heaven's  majestic  queen. 

CoNiNGTON,  Mneid^  Book  VIII. 

^neas  then  started  on  his  voyage,  Father  Tiber 
making  the  passage  easy  by  cahiiing  his  turbid  river 
so  that  its  surface  was  as  smooth  as  a  peaceful  lake. 
At  noon  next  day  the  Trojans  came  in  sight  of  Pal- 
lanteum,  and  soon  afterwards  they  turned  their  ships 
toward  the  land,  and  approached  the  city.  Just  then 
King  Evander,  accompanied  by  his  son  Pallas  and 
many  of  his  chiefs,  was  offering  a  sacrifice  to  Her- 
cules in  a  grove  outside  the  city  walls.  Alarmed  at 
the  sudden  appearance  of  the  vessels,  they  made  a 
movement  as  if  to  depart  in  haste  from  their  altars. 
But  Pallas  forbade  them  to  interrupt  the  sacred  rites, 
and  advancing  to  meet  the  strangers,  he  addressed 
them  from  a  rising  ground,  asking  who  they  were, 
and  for  what  purpose  they  had  come,  ^neas,  speak- 
ing from  the  deck  of  one  of  his  ships,  and  holding 
in  his  hand  an  olive  branch,  the  emblem  of  peace, 
replied,  saying,  "  You  see  before  you  sons  of  Troy, 
and  enemies  of  the  Latians,  who  have  declared  war 


125 

aeainst  us.  We  seek  Kins^  Evander.  Bear  him 
these  tidings,  and  say  to  him  that  we  have  come 
askinor  for  his  aUiance  in  arms." 

Astonished  at  hearing  that  the  visitors  were  the 
ilkistrious  Trojans  whose  fame  had  already  spread 
throughout  the  world,  Pallas  invited  them  to  land 
and  come  as  guests  to  his  father's  house.  ^'Eneas 
gladly  accepted  the  invitation,  and  the  young  prince 
conducted  tliem  to  the  grove,  and  introduced  them 
to  King  Evander.  This  Evander  was  by  birth  a 
Greek.  He  had  come  from  the  Grecian  province  of 
Ar-ca'di-a,  and  the  city  he  founded  in  Italy  he  called 
after  the  name  of  his  native  Arcadian  city  of  Pallan- 
teum.  yEneas,  however,  had  no  fear  that  Evander, 
though  a  Greek,  would  be  an  enemy  of  his,  for  they 
were  both  of  the  same  blood,  being  both  descended 
from  Atlas,  the  mighty  hero  who  of  old  supported  the 
heavens  on  his  shoulders.  Mercury,  the  father  of 
Evander,  was  the  son  of  Ma'i-a,  a  daughter  of  Atlas; 
and  Dardanus,  the  founder  of  Troy,  and  ancestor  of 
its  kings,  was  son  of  E-lec'tra,  another  daughter  of 
Atlas.  yEneas  reminded  Evander  of  this  relation- 
ship and  reminded  him  also  that  the  Rutulians  and 
Latians  were  enemies  of  Evander  and  his  people, 
as  well  as  of  the  Trojans. 

"  They  are  the  nation,"  said  he,  "  which  pursue 
you  with  cruel  war,  and  they  think  that  if  they  expel 


126 

us  from  the  country,  nothing  can  hinder  them  from 
reducing  all  Italy  under  their  yoke.  Let  us  there- 
fore form  an  alliance  against  this  common  foe.  We 
Trojans  have  amongst  us  men  stout  of  heart  in 
battle  and  experienced  in  war." 

While  the  hero  was  speaking,  the  king  kept 
his  eyes  intently  fixed  upon  him,  for  in  his  face  and 
figure  he  saw  the  resemblance  of  the  great  Anchises, 
whom  he  had  known  in  past  years.  Then  replying 
to  /Eneas,  he  said,  "  Great  chief  of  the  Trojan  race, 
I  gladly  receive  and  recognize  you.  I  well  recollect 
the  words,  the  voice,  and  the  features  of  your  father, 
Anchises.  For  I  remember  that  Priam  on  his  way 
to  visit  his  sister  Hesione  in  Greece,  also  visited  my 
country,  Arcadia.  Many  of  the  Trojan  princes 
accompanied  him ;  but  the  most  majestic  of  them 
all  was  Anchises.  Much  did  I  admire  him,  and  I 
took  him  with  me  to  our  Arcadian  city  Phe'neus. 
At  his  departure  he  gave  me  costly  presents,  a  quiver 
filled  with  Lycian  arrows,  a  mantle  interwoven  with 
gold  and  two  golden  bridles."  Evander  concluded 
by  consenting  to  the  proposal  of  /Eneas  for  an 
alliance  against  the  Latians  — 

"  The  league  you  ask,  I  offer  as  your  right ; 
And  when  to-morrow's  sun  reveals  the  light, 
With  swift  supplies  you  shall  be  sent  away." 

Dryden,  Mneid,  Book  VIII. 


127 

The  Trojans  were  now  hospitably  entertained  by 
King  Evander.  Seated  on  the  greensward,  they 
partook  of  a  plenteous  repast,  and  when  the  banquet 
was  over,  the  king  explained  to  .-Eneas  and  his  com- 
panions the  meaning  of  the  religious  festivities  in 
which  they  had  been  engaged.  It  was  through  no 
vain  superstition,  he  said,  that  they  performed  these 
solemn  rites,  but  to  commemorate  their  deliverance 
from  a  terrible  scourge,  and  to  give  honor  to  their 
deliverer. 

Then  Evander  related  the  story  of  the  monster 
Ca'cus,  who  in  former  times,  dwelt  in  a  cave  under- 
neath the  hill  on  which  Pallanteum  was  now  built. 
He  was  a  giant,  of  enormous  size  and  hideous  to 
behold,  for  from  his  father  Vulcan,  the  god  of  fire, 
he  had  got  the  power  of  breathing  smoke  and  flame 
throuo^h  his  mouth  and  nostrils.  He  was  a  scourge 
and  a  terror  to  the  country  round,  as  besides  being 
a  robber,  he  killed  and  devoured  men.  But  by  good 
fortune  the  hero  Hercules  happened  to  pass  that  way, 
driving  before  him  a  herd  of  cattle  which  he  had 
taken  from  another  cruel  monster  —  the  three-bodied 
giant  Ge'ry-on,  whom  he  had  destroyed.  As  these 
cattle  were  grazing  by  the  river,  Hercules  having 
lain  down  on  the  bank  to  rest,  Cacus  stole  four  bulls 
and  four  heifers,  the  finest  of  the  herd.  To  conceal 
the  theft  he  dragged  the  animals  backwards  by  the 


128 

tails  into  his  den,  so  that  their  footprints  seemed  to 
show  that  they  had  gone  from  the  cave  instead  of 
into  it  This  trick  had  ajmost  succeeded,  for  Her- 
cules, after  searching  in  vain  for  the  missing  ani- 
mals, was  about  to  resume  his  journey,  when  a 
lowing  from  within  the  cave  reached  his  ears. 

The  oxen  at  departing  fill 

With  noisy  utterance  grove  and  hill, 

And  breathe  a  farewell  low; 
When  hark!  a  heifer  from  the  den 
Makes  answer  to  the  sound  again 

And  mocks  her  wily  foe. 

CoNiNGTON,  yEneid,  Book  VHI. 

Hercules  now  knowing  what  had  become  of  his 
cattle  rushed  to  the  top  of  the  mount  where  he  had 
seen  the  giant,  but  Cacus  fled  into  his  cave,  and 
instantly  let  drop  the  huge  stone  which  he  kept  sus- 
pended by  iron  chains  over  the  entrance.  This 
stone  even  the  mighty  Hercules  could  not  move  from 
its  place,  for  it  was  held  fast  by  great  bolts  on  the 
inside.  But  searching  around  the  mount  for  an- 
other entrance,  he  saw  a  rock  overhanging  the 
river,  which  formed  a  back  for  the  cavern.  Exerting 
his  full  strength,  the  hero  wrenched  this  rock  from 
its  fastenings,  and  hurled  it  into  the  water.  In  the 
interior  of  the  den,  thus  laid  open,  Hercules  soon 
cauo-ht  siijht  of  the  robber,  and  commenced  to  assail 


129 

him  with  arrows  and  stones.  Then  the  monster 
belched  forth  volumes  of  smoke  and  flame,  conceal- 
ing himself  in  a  cloud  of  pitchy  vapor.  But  Her- 
cules now  thoroughly  enraged,  rushed  furiously  into 
the  den,  and  seizing  Cacus  by  the  throat,  choked 
him  to  death.  Great  was  the  joy  of  the  people 
when  they  heard  of  the  destruction  of  the  monster, 
and  anniversary  festivals  had  been  held  there  ever 
since  in  honor  of  the  deliverer. 

After  King  Evander  had  told  this  story,  choirs  of 
young  and  old  men,  the  priests  called  Sa'li-i,  sang 
songs  about  the  great  deeds  of  Hercules ;  how  when 
a  child  in  his  cradle  he  had  strangled  the  two  ser- 
pents sent  by  Juno  to  destroy  him,  how  he  had  slain 
the  furious  lion  of  Nemea,  dragged  from  Pluto's 
realms  the  three-headed  dog  Cerberus,  and  per- 
formed numerous  other  difficult  and  dangerous  feats. 

Evander  and  his  people  now  returned  to  the  city, 
accompanied  by  their  Trojan  guests.  The  king 
walked  by  the  side  of  /Eneas,  and  told  him 
many  things  about  the  traditions  of  the  place, 
and  its  early  history.  At  one  time,  he  said,  the 
country  had  been  ruled  by  Saturn,  who,  driven  from 
the  throne  of  the  heavens  by  his  son  Jupiter,  had 
come  to  Italy,  and  finding  on  the  banks  of  the  river 
a  race  of  uncivilized  men,  had  formed  them  into  a 
settled   society.     He    taught  them   how  to   till   the 

STO.    OF  .-KNEAS  — Q 


I30 

ground,  and  introduced  laws  amongst  them,  and 
so  peaceful  and  happy  were  they  under  his  reign, 
that  it  was  called  the  Golden  Age.  One  of  the 
kings  long  after  Saturn's  reign  was  Tiberinus, 
whose  name  was  given  to  the  river,  and  who  became 
its  guardian  god. 

The  king  then  escorted  y^neas  through  the  town, 
pointing  out  to  him  many  places,  destined  to  be 
famous  in  later  history,  for  on  that  very  ground 
Romulus  built  his  city,  and  Pallanteum  became  the 
celebrated  Palatine  Mount,  one  of  the  seven  hills  of 
Rome.  When  they  reached  the  royal  palace,  which 
was  not  as  large  or  magnificent  as  palaces  often  are, 
the  king  took  pride  in  mentioning  that  the  great 
Hercules,  honored  in  life,  and  after  death  wor- 
shipped as  a  god,  had  not  disdained  to  accept  hos- 
pitality under  its  roof. 

He  spoke,  and  through  the  narrow  door 

The  great  ^neas  led, 
And  heaped  a  couch  upon  the  floor 

With  leaves  and  bear-skin  spread. 

CoNiNGTON,  yEneid,  Book  VIII. 

While  the  Trojan  chief  was  being  entertained 
by  King  Evander,  his  mother  Venus  was  much 
troubled  in  mind  thinking  of  the  danger  which 
threatened  her  son  in  his  new  settlement.  She 
resolved   that    he  should   have   all   the   aid   in   her 


131 

power  to  supply,  and  so  she  requested  Vulcan  to 
make  him  a  suit  of  armor.  Vulcan  was  the  god  of 
smiths  as  well  as  of  fire,  and  Venus  thus  appealed 
to  him  in  behalf  of  her  son. 

"  While  the  Greeks  were  laboring  to  bring  destruc- 
tion on  Troy,"  said  she  to  the  hre  god,  who  was  also 
the  god  of  smiths,  "  I  did  not  ask  your  help,  knowing 
that  the  ruin  of  the  city  had  been  decreed  by  the  gods. 
But  now  ^neas  has  settled  in  Italy  by  Jupiter's 
command  ;  therefore,  I  beg  your  assistance.  What 
I  wish  is  that  you  should  make  arms  and  armor  for  my 
son.  Many  nations  have  combined  against  him,  and 
are  sharpening  their  swords  for  the  destruction  of 
himself  and  his  people." 

Vulcan  readily  agreed  to  comply  with  the  request 
of  Venus.  Being  a  god  he  could  make  arms  and 
armor  against  which  the  power  of  mortal  men  would 
be  of  no  avail.  His  forges,  and  furnaces,  and  anvils 
were  in  vast  caves  under  one  of  the  Lip'a-re  isles 
and  under  Mount  /Etna,  and  the  giant  Cyclops 
were  his  workmen. 

Sacred  to  Vulcan's  name,  an  isle  there  lay, 

Betwixt  Sicilia's  coasts  and  Lipare, 

Raised  high  on  smoking  rocks  ;  and,  deep  below, 

In  hollow  caves  the  fires  of  ^'Etna  glow. 

The  Cycl()])s  here  their  heavy  hammers  deal  ; 

Loud  strokes,  and  hissing  of  tormented  steel, 


(132) 


133 

Are  heard  around  ;  the  boiling  waters  roar  ; 
And  smoky  flames  through  fuming  tunnels  soar. 

Dryden,  Mncid,  Book  VIII. 

To  these  workshops  Vulcan  forthwith  repaired 
to  give  orders  for  the  arms  which  Venus  requested 
for  her  son.  He  found  his  men  industriously  at 
work  making  wonderful  things  for  the  gods.  Some 
were  forging  a  thunderbolt  for  Jupiter,  the  rays  or 
shafts  of  which  were  of  hail  and  watery  cloud,  and 
2:larinor  ftre  and  the  wino-ed  wind.  Others  were 
making  a  war  chariot  for  Mars,  and  others  a  shield 
for  Minerva,  ornamented  with  serpent's  scales  of 
gold.  When  Vulcan  entered,  he  bade  them  lay 
aside  all  those  tasks. 

"  My  sons!  (said  Vulcan),  set  your  tasks  aside; 
Your  strength  and  master  skill  must  now  be  tried. 
Arms  for  a  hero  forge  —  arms  that  require 
Your  force,  your  speed,  and  all  your  forming  fire." 

DrydiiN,  JEneid^  Book  VIII. 

Instantly  the  Cyclops  set  to  work  on  their  new 
task,  and  very  soon  rivulets  of  molten  gold  and  cop- 
per and  iron  were  flowing  in  flaming  furnaces.  A 
splendid  shield  was  made,  which  was  a  sufficient 
defense  in  itself  against  all  the  weapons  of  King 
Turnus.  Other  things  necessary  for  war  were  also 
put  in  shape,  and  so  the  work  of  forging  arms  for 
the  Trojan  hero  was  vigorously  prosecuted. 


134 

Meantime  ^neas  himself,  after  his  night's  repose 
in  the  palace  of  Evander,  was  talking  with  the  king 
and  his  son  on  the  business  which  had  brought  him 
to  Pallanteum.  The  good  will  of  Evander  was 
greater  than  his  means,  for  his  country  was  small, 
and  on  one  side  of  it  was  the  territory  of  his  enemies, 
the  Rutulians.  He  was  not  able,  therefore,  to  do 
much  for  ^4^neas,  but  he  knew  where  ample  aid 
could  be  obtained.  "  In  the  neighboring  state  of 
Etruria,  and  not  far  from  this  spot,"  said  he,  "  stands 
the  ancient  city  of  Agylla,  founded  by  a  nation 
illustrious  in  war —  Mezentius  was  recently  its  king, 
a  cruel  and  wicked  man.  The  people,  indignant  at 
his  crimes,  took  up  arms  against  him  and  set  fire  to 
his  palace.  He  himself  fled  for  protection  to  King 
Turnus,  with  whom  he  now  is.  The  Etrurians 
therefore  have  resolved  to  make  war  upon  Turnus, 
and  their  ships  and  men  are  already  assembled. 
You,  .^neas,  must  be  the  leader  of  these  people,  for 
a  soothsayer  has  told  them  that  no  native  of  Italy  is 
destined  to  subdue  the  Rutulians,  and  that  they  must 
choose  a  foreigner  to  be  their  commander  in  the 
war.  They  have  invited  me  to  lead  them,  but  I  am 
too  old  to  undertake  such  a  task.  I  would  have 
sent  them  my  son,  but  being  born  of  an  Italian 
mother,  he  is  of  the  people  of  this  land.  You,  how- 
ever, gallant  leader  of  the   Trojans,  being  in   the 


135 

prime  of  life,  and  of. foreign  race,  are  destined  by  the 
gods  for  this  work.  My  son  Pallas  too  shall  take 
part  in  the  expedition,  and  I  will  give  him  two 
hundred  horsemen,  and  as  many  more  he  shall  add 
in  his  own  name." 

Evander  had  scarcely  ceased  speaking"  when  light- 
ning flashed  through  the  heavens  and  peals  of  thun- 
der were  heard  and  sounds  as  of  trumpets  blaring, 
and  then  across  the  sky  were  seen  arms  blazing 
brilliantly  as  the  sun  —  arms  such  as  heroes  bore  in 
battle,  and  they  clashed  with  a  loud  resounding 
noise. 

Gazing  up,  repeated  peals  they  hear  ; 
And,  in  a  heaven  serene,  refulgent  arms  appear 
Reddening  the  skies,  and  glittering  all  around. 
The  tempered  metals  clash,  and  yield  a  silver  sound. 

Dryden,  /Eneid^  Book  VIU. 

y^neas  understood  this  mai"velous  apparition,  and 
he  explained  it  to  his  astonished  companions  as  a 
call  to  him  from  heaven.  His  divine  mother,  he 
said,  had  told  him  that  she  would  send  that  sign, 
and  that  she  would  brins;  him  arms  made  bv  Vulcan. 
Then  he  offered  the  usual  sacrifices  to  the  gods, 
after  which  he  went  to  his  ships,  ana  chose  from  his 
followers  some  to  accompany  him  to  Agylla,  direct- 
ing the  otliers  to  return  to  the  camp  at  Laurentum, 
and  inform  lulus  of  the  progress  of  their  affairs  at 


136 

Pallanteum.  Preparations  for  departure  were  now 
made.  Evander  gave  y^neas  horses  for  himself  and 
his  companions,  and  when  all  was  ready,  the  king 
affectionately  embraced  his  son,  and  bade  him  a 
tender  farewell,  praying  to  the  gods  that  he  might 
live  to  see  him  come  back  in  safety. 

The  Trojan  chief  and  his  warriors,  among  whom 
were  the  faithful  Achates  and  Pallas  at  the  head 
of  his  four  hundred  horsemen,  then  set  forth  from 
the  city,  amid  the  acclamations  of  the  people.  They 
soon  came  within  sight  of  the  camp  of  the  Etrurians, 
who,  under  the  command  of  one  of  their  chiefs 
named  Tarchon,  had  pitched  their  tents  on  a  wide 
plain  not  many  miles  from  Pallanteum. 

But  before  joining  his  new  allies,  yEneas  had  a 

meeting  with  his  goddess  mother.     Down  from  the 

clouds  she  came,  beautiful  as  the  sun,  bearing  with 

her  the  arms  that  Vulcan  had  made,  and  seeing  her 

son   alone    on    the    bank  of    a    small   stream,  in   a 

secluded  vale,  to  which  he  had  retired  for  a  brief 

rest,  she  presented  herself  before  him.    At  his  feet  she 

placed  the  gifts  she  had  promised,  telling  him  that 

now  he  might  not  fear  to  meet  his  foes  in  battle. 

"Behold!  (she  said)  performed  in  every  part, 
My  promise  made,  and  Vulcan's  labored  art. 
Now  seek,  secure,  the  Latian  enemy. 
And  haughty  Turnus  to  the  field  defy." 

Drvden,  Mneid,  Book  VHI. 


137 

Beautiful  arms  and  armor  they  were,  such  as  could 
be  designed  and  fashioned  only  by  a  god — a  sword 
and  a  spear,  and  a  helmet  with  a  blazing  crest,  and 
a  breastplate  of  flaming  bronze,  and  greaves  of  gold 
and  electrum.  But  most  wonderful  of  all  was  the 
shield,  upon  which  were  depicted  the  glories  and 
triumphs  in  later  ages  of  the  mighty  men  of  Rome, 
the  descendants  of  lulus,  for  Vulcan,  being  a  god, 
had  the  gift  of  seeing  into  futurity. 

There,  embossed,  the  heavenly  smith  had  wrought 
(Not  ill  the  rolls  of  future  fate  untaught) 
The  wars  in  order  ;  and  the  race  divine 
Of  warriors  issuing  from  the  Julian  line. 

Drvden,  yEnei'J,  Book  VHI. 

Vergil's  description  of  this  prophetic  shield  occu- 
pies the  concluding  portion  of  the  eighth  book  of 
the  y^neid.  It  is  a  summary  of  notable  events  in 
the  history  of  Rome  from  the  time  of  Romulus, 
who  founded  the  city,  to  the  time  of  the  Emperor 
Augustus.  The  achievements  of  Augustus  are  par- 
ticularly dwelt  on,  for  he  was  the  friend  and  patron 
of  the  poet,  and  Vergil,  therefore,  gave  special 
prominence  to  the  part  taken  by  him  in  the  exten- 
sion of  the  great  empire.  At  the  famous  sea-battle 
of  Ac'ti-um  (b.  c.  31)  near  the  promontory  of  Leu-ca'te 
in  Greece,  Augustus,  aided  by  A-grip'pa,  defeated 
the  forces  of  Antony  and  the  celebrated  Egyptian 


Drawn  by  Varian. 

^NEAS   WITH    HIS   WONDERFUL   ARMOR. 
(138) 


139 

Queen  Cle-o-pa'tra,  and  this  victory  made  him  mas- 
ter of  the  Roman  world.  On  the  shield  of  Apneas 
the  fio-ht  at  Actium  was  shown  on  a  sea  of  molten 
gold,  in  the  midst  of  w^iich  were  represented  the 
fleets  of  ships  with  their  brazen  prows. 

Betwixt  the  quarters,  flows  a  golden  sea  ; 
But  foaming  surges  there  in  silver  play. 
The  dancing  dolphins  with  their  tails  divide 
The  glittering  waves,  and  cut  the  precious  tide. 
Amid  the  main,  two  mighty  fleets  engage  ; 
Their  brazen  beaks  opposed  with  equal  rage, 
Actium  surveys  the  well-disputed  prize  ; 
Leucate's  watery  plain  with  foamy  billows  fries. 
Young  Caesar,  on  the  stern  in  armor  bright. 
Here  leads  the  Romans  and  their  gods  to  fight ; 
Agrippa  seconds  him,  with  prosperous  gales. 
And,  with  propitious  gods,  his  foes  assails. 
A  naval  crown,  that  binds  his  manly  brows. 
The  happy  fortune  of  the  fight  foreshows. 

DrvDEN,  ^^neidy  Book  VIH. 

On  another  part  of  the  shield  were  shown  scenes 
of  the  Emperor's  three  days'  Triumph  in  Rome 
after  his  great  conquest  —  the  procession  of  van- 
quished nations,  the  games  and  the  sacrifices  to  the 
gods,  and  Augustus  himself  seated  on  a  throne  in 
front  of  the  temple  of  Apollo. 

The  victor  to  the  gods  his  thanks  expressed  ; 
And  Rome  triumphant  with  his  presence  blessed. 


I40 

Three  hundred  temples  in  the  town  he  placed  ; 
With  spoils  and  altars  every  temple  graced. 
Three  shining  nights  and  three  succeedings  days, 
The  fields  resound  with  shouts,  the  streets  with  praise, 
Great  Caesar  sits  sublime  upon  his  throne. 
Before  Apollo's  porch  of  Parian  stone  ; 
Accepts  the  presents  vowed  for  victory  ; 
And  hangs  the  monumental  crowns  on  high. 
Vast  crowds  of  vanquished  nations  march  along, 
Various  in  arms,  in  habit,  and  in  tongue. 

Drvuf.n,  Aineid^  Book  VIII. 

^neas  viewed  these  scenes  with  wonder  and 
dehght,  though  ignorant  of  what  they  meant,  and 
putting  on  the  beautiful  armor,  he  bore  upon  his 
shoulder  the  fortunes  of  his  descendants. 

These  figures,  on  the  shield  divinely  wrought, 
By  Vulcan  labored,  and  by  Venus  brought. 
With  joy  and  wonder  fill  the  hero's  thought. 
Unknown  the  names,  he  yet  admires  the  grace  ; 
And  bears  aloft  the  fame  and  fortune  of  his  race. 

Drvden,  ALncidy  Book  VI 1 1. 

Vergil's  description  of  the  shield  -of  /Eneas  is  in 
imitation  of  Homer's  beautiful  description  in  the 
Iliad  of  the  shield  of  Achilles,  also  made  by  Vulcan. 


VIII.    TURNUS  ATTACKS  THE  TROJAN  CAMP 
—  NISUS  AND  EURYALUS. 

Arrayed  in  his  new  and  splendid  armor,  the 
Trojan  chief  rejoined  his  companions,  and  then 
proceeded  to  the  Etrurian  camp,  where  lie  formed 
a  leao^ue  with  Tarchon.  Meanwhile  his  enemies 
were  not  inactive,  for  Juno  sent  Iris  down  from 
heaven  to  the  Rutulian  king  to  urge  him  to 
bestir  himself  against  the  Trojans.  "  Time  has 
broucrht  about  in  vour  favor,  O  Turnus,"  said  the 
messenger  of  Juno,  "what  even  the  gods  did  not 
dare  to  promise.  /Eneas,  having  left  his  friends 
and  his  fleet  has  gone  to  gather  forces  against 
you  in  the  city  of  Evander  and  in  Etruria.  Now 
is  your  opportunity.  Why  do  you  hesitate  to  take 
advantage  of  \t?  Delay  no  longer,  but  seize 
the  camp  of  the  Trojans,  while  their  leader  is 
absent."  Turnus  recognized  Iris,  yet  he  knew  not 
by  whom  she  had  been  sent.  But  he  replied  that 
he  would  quickly  obey,  whoever  it  was  that  thus 
called  him  to  arms,  and  as  he  spoke,  the  goddess 
vanished  into  the  heavens,  forming  in  her   ascent 

[141] 


142 


the  beautiful  rainbow,  which  was  the  sign  of  Juno's 


messenger. 


On  equal  wings  she  poised  her  weight, 
And  formed  a  radiant  rainbow  in  her  flight. 

Dryden,  /Enezd,  Book  IX. 

Then  the  warriors  were  called  to  action,  and 
soon  the  whole  army  marched  out  into  the  open 
plain,  Messapus,  the  Etrurian,  commanding  the 
front  lines,  the  sons  of  Tyrrhus  in  the  rear,  and  in 
the  center  Turnus  himself.  The  Trojans  within 
their  camp,  seeing  the  great  cloud  of  dust  which  the 
tread  of  the  hosts  of  the  Latians  raised  on  the 
plain,  knew  what  it  meant.  Speedily  they  shut  up 
their  gates  and  set  guards  upon  the  walls,  for  y4ineas 
at  his  departure  had  ordered  them  that  in  case  of 
attack  in  his  absence,  they  should  not  attempt 
a  fight  in  the  open  field,  but  defend  themselves 
within  their  ramparts.  Turnus  now  tried  to  set 
fire  to  the  Trojan  fleet,  which  lay  in  the  river 
close  at  hand,  but  the  ships  of  ^neas  could  not 
be  destroyed  for  they  were  made  of  wood  cut 
from  the  forest  of  Cyb'e-le,  the  mother  of  the 
gods.  When  the  hero  was  building  them  at  the 
foot  of  Mount  Ida,  Cybele  begged  her  son  Jupiter, 
to  grant  that  the  vessels,  being  constructed  of  pine 
trees  sacred  to  her,  might  be  forever  safe  from 
destruction. 


143 

"  Grant  me  (she  said)  the  sole  request  I  bring, 
Since  conquered  heaven  has  owned  you  for  its  king. 
On  Ida's  brows,  for  ages  past  there  stood, 
With  firs  and  maples  filled,  a  shady  wood; 
And  on  the  summit  rose  a  sacred  grove, 
Where  I  was  worshipped  with  religious  love. 
These  woods,  that  holy  grove,  my  long  delight, 
I  gave  the  Trojan  prince,  to  speed  his  flight. 
Now  filled  with  fear,  on  their  behalf  I  come; 
Let  neither  winds  o'erset,  nor  waves  entomb, 
The  floating  forests  of  the  sacred  pine; 
But  let  it  be  their  safety  to  be  mine." 

Drvden,  ^neid.  Book  XI. 

This  request,  though  coming  from  his  mother, 
Jupiter  was  obHged  to  refuse,  for  it  could  not  be,  he 
said,  that  vessels  built  by  mortal  hands  should  be 
rendered  immortal.  He  promised,  however,  that 
those  of  the  Trojan  ships  which  safely  reached  their 
destination  in  Italy  should  be  transformed  into  god- 
desses or  nymphs  of  the  ocean.  Therefore,  when 
Turnus  and  his  men  rushed  to  the  river  with  flam- 
ing torches,  the  time  had  come  for  the  promise  of 
the  king  of  heaven  to  be  fulfilled.  As  they  were 
about  to  cast  their  firebrands  upon  the  galleys  a 
strange  light  flashed  on  the  eyes  of  the  Trojans, 
then  a  bright  cloud  shot  across  the  sky,  and  from 
out  of  it  these  words  uttered  in  a  loud  voice,  were 
heard  by  the  Trojans  and  Rutulians.  "  Men  of 
Troy,    you    have    no    need    to    defend    the    ships. 


144 

Sooner  shall  Turnus  burn  up  the  seas  than  those 
sacred  pines.  Glide  on  at  your  liberty,  you  nymphs 
of  the  main.  It  is  the  parent  of  the  gods  who 
commands  you."  No  sooner  were  the  words  spoken 
than  the  ships  all  broke  away  from  their  fasten- 
ings, plunged  out  of  sight  into  the  depths  of  the 
river,  and  reappeared  in  a  moment  as  beautiful 
maidens,  moving  gracefully  along  on  the  surface 
of  the  water. 

No  sooner  had  the  goddess  ceased  to  speak, 
When,  lo!  the  obedient  ships  their  halsers  break; 
And  strange  to  tell,  like  dolphins  in  the  main 
They  plunge  their  prows,  and  dive  and  spring  again; 
As  many  beauteous  maids  the  billows  sweep, 
As  rode  before  tall  vessels  on  the  deep. 

Drvden,  ^neid^  Book  IX. 

The  Rutulians  were  astonished  at  this  spectacle, 
but  Turnus  was  still  undismayed,  and  speaking  to 
his  people  he  declared  that  what  they  had  just  seen 
was  bad  for  the  Trojans  themselves,  for  that  now 
they  had  no  longer  means  of  escape,  their  ships 
having  disappeared.  "  As  for  their  much  talked  of 
destiny,"  said  he,  "it  has  been  fulfilled,  since  they 
have  reached  the  land  of  Italy.  But  I  also  have 
my  destiny,  and  it  is  to  destroy  the  accursed  race. 
They  depend  a  great  deal  on  their  walls,  yet  they 
have  seen  the  walls  of  Troy  go  down  in  flames, 
though   they  were  built  by  the  hands  of  Neptune. 


145 

I  do  not  need  arms  made  by  Vulcan,  nor  shall  we 
hide  ourselves  in  a  wooden  horse.  We  shall  fight 
the  Trojans  openly,  and  we  shall  teach  them  that 
they  have  not  now  to  do  with  men  like  the  Greeks, 
w^hom  Hector  baffled  for  ten  years." 

Turnus  then  laid  siege  to  the  Trojan  camp.  He 
placed  sentinels  outside  the  gates,  and  had  watch- 
fires  kindled  at  different  points  around  the  walls, 
after  which  his  men  lay  down  on  the  field  to  rest. 
But  during  the  night  the  guards  fell  asleep,  for  they 
were  fatigued  after  the  labors  of  the  day,  and  so  the 
whole  besieging  army  was  now  sunk  in  deep  repose. 
The  Trojans  on  the  other  hand  kept  strict  watch 
within  their  camp,  and  adopted  all  necessary  meas- 
ures of  defense. 

All  things  needful  for  defence  abound; 
Mnestheus  and  brave  Serestus  walk  the  round, 
Commissioned  by  their  absent  prince  to  share 
The  common  danger,  and  divide  the  care. 

Dryden,  A^iieid,  Book  IX. 

The  Trojan  sentinels  at  one  of  the  gates  were 
Nisus  and  Euryalus  —  already  mentioned  as  having 
taken  part  in  the  foot  race  at  the  funeral  games. 

Love  made  them  one  in  every  thought; 
In  battle  side  by  side  they  fought; 
And  now  in  duty  at  the  gate 
The  twain  in  common  station  wait. 

CoNiNGTON,  Mnetdy  Book  IX. 
STO.  OF  .^NEAS —  lo 


146 

Now  Nisus  had  conceived  the  idea  of  making  his 
way  through  the  Rutuhan  Hnes  and  conveying  to 
yEneas  at  Pallanteum  news  of  the  dangerous  situa- 
tion of  his  people  in  the  besieged  camp,  and  he 
thought  he  would  carry  out  his  project  while  the 
enemy  were  all  asleep  outside  the  walls.  Euryalus 
approved  of  the  enterprise,  and  he  begged  that  he 
himself  might  be  permitted  to  take  part  in  it.  To 
this  Nisus  objected,  for  he  did  not  wish  that  his  dear 
young  friend  should  be  exposed  to  the  danger  of  the 
undertaking.  The  mother  of  Euryalus  had  accom- 
panied him  all  the  way  from  Troy,  and  so  great  was 
her  love  for  him  that  she  refused  to  part  from  him 
even  to  share  the  good  fortune  of  the  other  Trojan 
women  who  had  settled  in  Sicily.  Nisus  was  very 
unwilling  to  be  the  cause  of  grief  to  so  devoted  a 
mother,  by  permitting  her  son  to  join  in  an  expedi- 
tion in  which  he  might  lose  his  life. 

"  Nor  let  me  cause  so  dire  a  smart 
To  that  devoted  mother's  heart, 
Who,  sole  of  all  the  matron  train, 
Attends  her  darling  o'er  the  main. 
Nor  cares  like  others  to  sit  down 
An  inmate  of  Acestes'  town." 

CoNiNGTON,  Mncid,  Book  IX. 

But  Euryalus  insisted  on  accompanying  his  friend, 
and  so  after  obtaining  the  consent  of  the  chiefs  in 


^ , 


147 

command,  who  highly  praised  their  courage  and 
promised  to  reward  them,  they  made  ready  to  set 
forth.  Euryalus  begged  that  they  would  comfort 
and  assist  his  mother  if  any  evil  should  happen  to 
him.  .  To  this  request  lulus  answered  that  she  should 
be  to  him  as  if  she  were  his  own  mother.  "  Grati- 
tude is  due  to  her,"  said  he,  "for  having  given  birth 
to  such  a  son.  The  reward  I  promise  to  give  to  you, 
if  you  return  in  safety,  I  shall  give  to  your  mother 
should  ill  fortune  attend  you." 

Euryalus  and  Nisus  now  set  out  upon  their  mis- 
sion. Passing  through  the  camp  of  the  sleeping 
Rutulians,  they  soon  reached  the  outside  of  the 
enemy's  lines.  It  happened  that  a  body  of  Latian 
horsemen  was  just  then  passing  that  way  on  the 
route  from  Laurentum  to  join  the  army  of  Turnus. 
Catching  sight  of  the  two  strangers,  Volcens,  the 
leader  of  the  troop,  cried  out  to  them  to  "stand," 
and  demanded  to  know  who  they  were,  and  whither 
they  were  bound„  The  Trojans,  making  no  answer, 
fled  into  a  wood  close  by.  Then  Volcens  placed 
guards  on  the  passes  and  at  the  outlets  of  the  wood 
to  prevent  the  escape  of  the  fugitives.  Meanwhile 
Euryalus,  getting  separated  from  his  companion, 
and  losing  his  way  in  the  thick  shades  of  the  forest, 
fell  into  the  enemy's  hands. 

Nisus  might  have  escaped,  and  had  in  fact  got  out 


148 

of  the  wood,  but  finding  that  his  friend  had  disap- 
peared, he  returned  to  search  for  him,  Presently  he 
heard  the  tramp  of  the  horses,  and  looking  forth  from 
a  thicket  in  which  he  had  concealed  himself,  he  saw 
Euryalus  in  the  midst  of  the  Latians,  who  were  drag- 
ging him  violently  along.  Deeply  grieved  at  the 
sight,  and  resolving  to  rescue  his  comrade,  or  die  in 
the  attempt,  Nisus,  after  praying  to  Diana,  the  god- 
dess of  the  woods,  to  guide  his  weapon  in  its  course, 
hurled  a  javelin  at  the  enemy.  It  pierced  the  body 
of  one  of  the  Latians  named  Sulmo,  who  fell  dead. 
His  companions  gazed  around  in  amazement,  not 
knowing  whence  the  attack  had  come.  Nisus  then 
cast  another  javelin,  and  again  one  of  the  Latians 
fell  to  the  ground.  Enraged  at  seeing  his  men  thus 
slain  before  his  eyes  by  an  unseen  assailant,  Vol- 
cens,  with  sword  in  hand,  rushed  upon  Euryalus, 
crying  out  that  his  life  should  pay  the  penalty  for 
both.  Great  was  the  agony  of  Nisus  at  seeing  his 
friend  about  to  be  put  to  death,  and  starting  from 
his  concealment,  he  exclaimed  aloud,  "  I  am  he  who 
did  the  deed.     Turn  your  arms  therefore  on  me." 

"  Me  !  me  !  (he  cried)  turn  all  your  swords  alone 
On  me  —  the  fact  confessed,  the  fault  my  own. 
His  only  crime  (if  friendship  can  offend) 
Is  too  much  love  to  his  unhappy  friend." 

Drvden,  /Enezd,  Book  IX. 


'49 

But  vain  was  the  effort  of  Nisus  to  save  his  friend, 
for  scarce  had  his  last  word  been  spoken  when 
Euryalus  fell  lifeless  to  the  earth,  pierced  by  the 
weapon  of  Volcens.  Filled  with  grief  and  rage, 
and  eager  to  avenge  the  death  of  his  companion, 
Nisus  rushed  into  the  midst  of  the  foe,  seeking 
only  Volcens,  and  though  blows  showered  upon  him 
from  all  sides,  he  pressed  on  until  coming  up  to  the 
Latian  chief,  he  slew  him  with  a  sin^-lc  tlirust  of  his 
sword.  Then  covered  with  wounds,  the  brave  Tro- 
jan dropped  dead,  falling  upon  the  body  of  the 
friend  he  had  so  loved.  Thus  these  two  sons  of 
Troy,  companions  in  life,  were  companions  also 
in  death.  Their  friendship,  immortalized  by  the 
Roman  poet,  became  proverbial. 

O  happy  friends  !  for,  if  my  verse  can  give 
Immortal  life,  your  fame  shall  ever  live, 
Fixed  as  the  Capitol's  foundation  lies, 
And  spread,  where'er  the   Roman  eagle  flies  ! 

Drvden,  ALneidy  Book  IX. 

Early  in  the  morning  Turnus  called  his  men  to 
arms,  and  with  loud  shouts  all  rushed  forward  to 
the  Trojan  ramparts.  Then  a  fierce  conflict  took 
place  during  which  many  heroes  fell  on  both  sides, 
after  performing  wonderful  feats  of  valor.  There 
was  a  wooden  tower  of  sreat  heitjht  and  streno-th 
which   stood   outside   the   wall,  and  was  connected 


ISO 

with  it  by  bridges.  The  RutuHans  made  great 
efforts  to  break  down  this  tower,  while  the  Trojans 
defended  it  by  hurhng  stones  upon  the  enemy,  and 
casting  darts  at  them  through  loopholes.  So  the 
struggle  continued  until  Turnus  with  a  flaming- 
torch  set  the  buildinor  on  fire. 

O 

Fierce  Turnus  first  a  firebrand  flings  ; 
It  strikes  the  sides,  takes  hold,  and  clings  ; 
The  freshening  breezes  spread  the  blaze, 
And  soon  on  plank  and  beam  it  preys. 
The  inmates  flutter  in  dismay 

And  vainly  wish  to  fly; 
There  as  they  huddle  and  retire 
Back  to  the  part  which  'scapes  the  fire. 
Sudden  the  o'erweighted  mass  gives  way, 

And  falling,  shakes  the  sky. 

CoNiNGTON,  ^neid.  Book  IX. 

Only  two  of  the  occupants  of  the  tower — Hel'e- 
nor  and  Lycus  —  escaped  destruction  in  its  fall,  but 
on  emerging  from  the  ruins  they  found  themselves 
in  the  midst  of  the  Rutulians.  Helenor  seeing  no 
chance  of  saving  his  life,  faced  his  foes  like  a  lion 
and  died  in  the  thick  of  the  fight.  Lycus,  who  was 
a  swift  runner,  fled  towards  the  walls,  dashing 
through  the  lines  of  the  enemy.  He  had  almost 
grasped  the  summit  of  the  rampart  and  reached  the 
outstretched  hands  of  his  friends  when  Turnus,  who 
had  darted  in  pursuit,  dragged  him  to  the  ground. 


151 

and  slew  him,  while  he  taunted  him,  saying,  "  Fool, 
didst  thou  hope  to  be  able  to  escape  our  hands  ?  " 

The  battle  now  became  more  furious.  From 
every  quarter  were  heard  shouts  of  fighting  men 
and  clashing  of  arms.  Amongst  the  heroes  of  the 
day  was  young  lulus,  hitherto  accustomed  to  use 
his  weapons  only  in  the  chase.  His  first  arrow  in 
war  was  now  aimed  against  the  brother-in-law  of 
Turnus,  a  chief  named  Nu-ma'nus,  who  fought  not 
only  with  sword  but  with  his  tongue,  mocking  at 
the  Trojans  in  a  loud  voice,  in  front  of  the  Latian 
lines.  "  Are  you  not  ashamed,  Trojans,"  cried  he, 
"  to  be  a  second  time  shut  up  behind  walls  ?  What 
madness  has  brought  you  to  Italy  ?  Know  that  it 
is  not  Grecians,  nor  the  crafty  Ulysses,  you  have 
now  to  deal  with.  We  are  a  hardy  race.  W^e  dip 
our  infants  in  the  rivers  to  inure  them  to  cold.  Our 
boys  are  trained  to  hunt  in  the  woods.  Our  whole 
life  is  spent  in  arms.  Age  does  not  impair  our 
courage  or  vigor.  As  for  you,  your  very  dress  is  em- 
broidered with  yellow  and  purple;  indolence  is  your 
delight ;  you  love  to  indulge  in  dancing  and  such 
frivolous  pleasures.  Women  you  are,  and  not  men. 
Leave  fighting  to  warriors  and  handle  not  the  sword." 

"  Leave  men,  like  us,  in  arms  to  deal 
Nor  bruise  your  lily  hands  with  steel." 

CoNiNGTON,  Mneidy  Book  IX. 


152 

The  spirited  young  Trojan  prince  could  not  pa- 
tiently endure  these  insults,  and  so  drawing  his  bow- 
string and  praying  to  Father  Jupiter,  he  sent  forth 
his  steel-tipped  arrow.  Whizzing  through  the  air 
the  weapon  pierced  the  head  of  Numanus,  and  at  the 
same  moment  lulus  exclaimed,  "  Vain  boaster,  this  is 
our  answer  to  your  insults."  With  shouts  of  joy 
the  Trojans  applauded  the  deed,  and  loud  were 
their  praises  of  the  valor  of  their  young  chief. 
Even  from  on  high  came  approving  words,  for  just 
then  the  fair-haired  Apollo,  seated  on  a  cloud,  was 
watching  the  conflict.  And  thus  spoke  the  god  in 
a  loud  voice,  "  Go  on  and  increase  in  valor,  O  youth. 
Such  is  the  path-way  to  immortality,  thou  art  the 
descendant  of  gods,  and  from  whom  gods  are  to 
descend." 

Uttering  these  words  Apollo  came  down  from  the 
sky,  and  taking  the  appearance  of  Bu'tes,  formerly 
the  armor-bearer  of  Anchises,  but  now  the  guardian 
of  lulus,  walked  by  the  young  prince's  side  and  ad- 
dressed him,  saying,  "  Son  of  yEneas,  let  it  be  enough 
for  thee  that  by  thine  arrow  Numanus  has  fallen. 
Apollo  has  granted  to  thee  this  glory  ;  but  take  no 
further  part  in  the  conflict."  Then  the  god,  throw- 
ing off  his  disQ^uise,  ascended  to  the  heavens.  The 
Trojan  chiefs  recognized  him  as  he  departed,  and 
thus  knowing  that  it  was  the  divine  will,  they  caused 


Drawn  l>y  Tratttscholil. 

Apollo  vanisiiinc;  after  cautioninu  Iulus. 


(153) 


154 

lulus  to  retire,  while  they  themselves  again  rushed 
forward  to  the  battle  — 

They  bend  their  bows;  they  whirl  their  slings  around; 
Heaps  of  spent  arrows  fall,  and  strew  the  ground; 
And  helms,  and  shields,  and  rattling  arms,  resound. 

Dryden,  Mneid,  Book  IX. 

At  this  point  two  brothers,  Pan'da-rus  and  Bit'i-as, 
sons  of  the  Trojan  Al-ca'non,  of  Mount  Ida,  tall  and 
powerful  youths,  threw  open  the  gate  at  which  they 
were  posted  as  sentinels,  and  standing  within,  one 
on  each  side,  they  challenged  the  foe  to  enter.  The 
Rutulians  rushed  forward  as  soon  as  they  saw  the 
passage  open.  Several  of  them  were  slain  at  the 
threshold  by  the  valiant  brothers.  Then  some  of 
the  Trojans  sallied  out  beyond  the  rampart,  and  a 
fierce  fight  took  place.  King  Turnus,  hearing  of 
these  events,  hurried  to  the  gate,  and  joining  in  the 
battle,  slew  many  of  the  Trojan  warriors.  He 
hurled  a  dart  at  Bitias,  and  so  great  was  the  force 
of  the  blow  that  not  even  the  huge  sentinel's  shield, 
formed  of  two  bull's  hides,  nor  his  breastplates  with 
double  scales  of  gold,  could  resist  it. 

Not  two  bull-hides  the  impetuous  force  withhold, 
Nor  coat  of  double  mail,  with  scales  of  gold. 
Down  sunk  the  monster-bulk,  and  pressed  the  ground, 
His  arms  and  clattering  shield  on  the  vast  body  sound. 

Dryden  yEncid^  Book  IX. 


155 

When  Pandarus  beheld  his  brother  stretched  dead 
on  the  ground,  and  saw  that  the  battle  was  going 
against  the  Trojans,  he  closed  the  gate,  moving  it 
upon  its  hinges  and  fastening  it  in  its  place  with  the 
strength  of  his  broad  shoulders.  Some  of  his  own 
people  were  thus  shut  out  and  left  in  the  midst  of 
the  enemy,  but  in  his  hurry  Pandarus  did  not  notice 
that  amonost  those  who  were  shut  in  was  the  fierce 
Kino-  Turnus. 

Fond  fool  !  amidst  the  noise  and  din 
He  saw  not  Turnus  rushing  in, 
But  closed  him  in  the  embattled  hold, 
A  tiger  in  a  helpless  fold. 

CoKiNGTON,  ^neid.  Book  IX. 

As  soon  as  Pandarus  saw  what  had  happened,  he 
hurled  a  spear  with  mighty  force  at  the  Rutulian  king, 
eager  to  avenge  his  brother's  death,  but  Juno  turn- 
ing the  weapon  aside,  it  struck  into  the  gate,  where 
it  remained  fixed.  Then  Turnus  slew  Pandarus  with 
a  swift  stroke  of  his  sword,  exclaiming,  "  Not  so  shall 
you  escape."  The  Trojans  who  witnessed  the  deed, 
tied  terrified  from  the  spot,  and  if  Turnus  at  this 
moment  had  opened  the  gate  and  admitted  his  Rutu- 
lian warriors,  that  day  would  have  been  the  last  of 
the  war  and  of  the  Trojan  race. 

The  Trojans  fly  in  wild  dismay; 
O,  then  had  Turnus  thought 


156 

To  force  the  fastenings  of  the  gates 
And  call  within  his  valiant  mates, 
The  nation  and  the  war  that  day 
Alike  to  end  had  brought! 

CoNiNGTON,  ^neid.  Book  IX. 

But  Turnus  thought  only  of  slaying  his  foes  who 
were  at  hand  and  so  he  speedily  put  many  of  them 
to  the  sword.  The  Trojan  chiefs  Mnestheus  and 
Sergestus,  as  soon  as  they  heard  that  their  people 
were  fleeing  before  the  Rutulian  king,  hastened  up 
and  reproved  them  in  severe  words.  "  Whither  do 
you  liee.?"  cried  Mnestheus.  "What  other  fortifi- 
cations have  you  but  this  ?  Shall  one  man  be  per- 
mitted to  work  such  destruction  in  our  camp-r*  Are 
you  not  ashamed }  Have  you  no  regard  for  your 
unhappy  country,  your  ancient  gods,  or  your  great 
leaders } " 

Touched  by  these  words,  and  inspired  with  fresh 
courage,  the  Trojans  formed  themselves  into  a  solid 
body.  Then  turning  round  they  made  a  firm  stand 
against  the  Rutulian  chief,  who  now  began  to 
retreat  towards  that  part  of  the  camp  which  was 
bounded  by  the  river.  The  Trojans  advanced 
upon  him  with  loud  shouts,  yet  the  brave  king 
would  fain  have  resisted.  As  when  a  troop  of 
hunters  press  upon  a  fierce  lion,  the  savage  animal, 
too  courageous  to  fly,  yet  dares  not  face  the  num- 
bers and  weapons  of  his  assailants,  so  Turnus  with 


157 

reluctant  steps  drew  backwards;  yet  twice  again  he 
attacked  the  Trojans  and  twice  drove  them  along 
the  walls.  At  length  gathering  from  all  parts  of 
the  camp,  the  Trojans  made  a  united  advance  and 
Turnus,  no  longer  able  to  withstand  the  assaults  of 
his  foes,  fled  to  the  river,  and  plunging  in,  was  soon 
in  the  midst  of  his  friends  who  received  him  with 
joyous  acclamation. 

O'er  all  his  limbs  dark  sweat-drops  break; 
No  time  to  breathe;  thick  pantings  shake 

His  vast  and  laboring  frame. 
At  length,  accoutred  as  he  stood, 
Headlong  he  plunged  into  the  flood. 
The  yellow  flood  the  charge  received, 
With  buoyant  tide  his  weight  upheaved, 
And  cleansing  otf  the  encrusted  gore, 
Returned  him  to  his  friends  once  more. 

CoNiNGTON,  ^iieid.  Book  IX. 


IX.  THE  COUNCIL  OF  THE  GODS  — RETURN 
OF  ^NEAS  — BATTLE  ON  THE  SHORE- 
DEATH  OF  PALLAS. 

Meanwhile  the  king  of  heaven  who  had  been 
watching  the  conflict  on  the  banks  of  the  Tiber, 
called  a  council  of  the  gods  to  consider  whether  it 
would  not  be  well  to  put  an  end  to  the  quarrel  be- 
tween Juno  and  Venus  over  the  fortunes  of  the 
Trojans.  The  divinities  assembled  in  their  golden 
council  chamber  on  Mount  Olympus  and  Jupiter 
addressed  them.  "  Ye  gods,"  said  he,  "  why  do  you 
seek  to  alter  the  decrees  of  heaven  ?  It  was  my  de- 
sire that  the  Italians  should  not  make  war  upon  the 
men  of  Troy.  Why  then  have  you  incited  them  to 
arms.'^  The  time  for  conflict  between  the  two 
races  favored  by  Juno  and  Venus  has  not  yet  come. 
That  time  will  be  hereafter  when  the  Carthaginians 
shall  put  forth  their  efforts  to  ruin  Rome.  Then 
indeed  you  shall  be  free  to  take  either  side  in  the 
contest.  For  the  present  cease  your  quarrels,  and 
let  the  league  agreed  upon  between  /Eneas  and 
Latinus  be  ratified." 

[158] 


159 

Thus  spoke  the  king  of  heaven.  Then  Venus 
addressed  the  gods  in  behalf  of  her  son,  whose 
sufferings,  she  said,  were  due  to  the  hatred  of 
Juno.  She  recounted  the  various  attempts  of 
the  unforgiving  queen  to  destroy  the  Trojans  — 
how  yEoUis  at  her  bidding  had  sent  his  storms  to 
scatter  the  fleet  of  yEneas,  how  Iris,  her  messenger, 
had  induced  the  Trojan  women  to  set  fire  to  the 
ships  at  Drepanum,  and  how  at  her  request  the  Fury 
Alecto  had  incited  Queen  Amata  and  King  Turnus 
to  war  against  the  men  of  Troy. 

Juno  next  addressed  the  council,  and  spoke  many 
bitter  words  against  yEneas  and  the  Trojans,  who, 
she  declared,  were  themselves  to  blame  for  all  the 
evils  that  had  come  upon  them.  The  Greek  war 
against  Troy  had  not  been  caused  by  her,  but  by 
the  Trojan  Paris,  and  for  his  conduct  in  carrying  off 
Helen,  Venus  was  responsible.  As  to  the  troubles 
in  Italy,  it  was  true  that  /Eneas  had  sailed  to  that 
country  by  the  will  of  the  fates,  but  why,  she  asked, 
did  he  stir  up  war  among  Italian  nations  that  had 
before  been  at  peace. 

Juno  having  finished  her  speech  against  the  Tro- 
jans, and  none  of  the  other  divinities  desiring  to 
take  part  in  the  controversy,  Jupiter  then  delivered 
judgment,  declaring  that  as  the  quarrel  between 
the  two  goddesses  could  not  be  amicably  settled,  nor 


i6o 

peace  brought  about  between  the  Trojans  and  Ital- 
ians, the  fates  should  take  their  course. 

"  Since  Troy  with  Latium  must  contend, 
And  these  your  wranglings  find  no  end, 
Let  each  man  use  his  chance  to  day 
And  carve  his  fortune  as  he  may  ; 
Each  warrior  from  his  own  good  lance 
Shall  reap  the  fruit  of  toil  or  chance  ; 
Jove  deals  to  all  an  equal  lot, 
And  Fate  shall  loose  or  cut  the  knot." 

CoNiNGTON,  Mneid,  Book  IX. 

Thus  ended  the  council  of  the  gods,  and  so  by  the 
decree  of  the  king  of  heaven  the  quarrel  between 
the  Trojans  and  Italians  was  left  to  the  fortune  of 
war. 

Meanwhile  the  Trojans  in  the  camp  on  the  Tiber 
were  being  hard  pressed  by  the  enemy.  As  soon  as 
Turnus  had  rejoined  his  army,  the  attack  on  the 
ramparts  was  renewed  with  increased  vigor,  and  the 
brave  Mnestheus  and  his  companions,  their  forces 
now  much  reduced  in  number,  were  beginning  to 
lose  hope. 

Hopeless  of  flight,  more  hopeless  of  relief, 

Thin  on  the  towers  they  stand;  and  e'en  those  few, 

A  feeble,  fainting,  and  dejected  crew. 

Dryden,  yEneidy  Book  X. 

But  ^neas  was  hastening  to  the  rescue.  Having 
formed  the  league  with  Tarchon,  he  lost  no  time  in 


i6i 

preparing  to  return  to  his  friends.  Many  other 
chiefs  of  Etruria  joined  their  forces  to  the  expedi- 
tion, and  all  placed  themselves  under  the  command 
of  ^'Eneas,  in  accordance  with  the  will  of  the  gods 
that  only  under  a  foreign  leader  could  they  be  suc- 
cessful in  the  war  against  the  Rutulians. 

When  everything  was  ready  for  departure  they 
embarked  on  a  fleet  of  thirty  ships,  and  sailed  down 
the  Tyr-rhe'ni-an  Sea,  along  the  Etrurian  coast, 
towards  the  mouth  of  the  Tiber.  yElneas  led  the 
way  in  his  own  galley,  and  with  him  was  young 
Pallas,  the  son  of  Evander.  During  the  voyage  he 
learned  in  a  strange  manner  of  the  perilous  situa- 
tion of  his  people  in  the  camp.  It  was  night,  and  as 
he  was  seated  at  the  helm,  for  his  anxiety  permitted 
him  not  to  sleep,  a  number  of  sea-nymphs  appeared 
swimming  by  the  side  of  his  ship.  One  of  them, 
Cym-o-do-ce'a  by  name,  grasped  the  stern  of  the 
vessel  with  her  right  hand,  while  with  her  left  she 
gently  rowed  her  way  through  the  waves.  Then 
she  addressed  the  Trojan  chief.  "Son  of  the  gods," 
said  she,  "  we  are  the  pines  of  Mount  Ida,  at  one 
time  your  fleet,  but  now  nymphs  of  the  sea.  The 
Rutulian  king  would  have  destroyed  us  with  fire  had 
it  not  been  permitted  to  us  by  the  mother  of  the 
gods  to  burst  our  cables,  and  assume  our  present 
form.     We  come  to  tell  you  that  your  son  Ascanius 

STO.  OF  /ENEAS —  II 


1 62 

is  besieged  in  the  camp,  and  pressed  on  all  sides 
by  the  Latian  foe.  Be  ready  then  at  the  dawn  of 
morning  with  your  troops,  and  bear  with  you  to  the 
fight  the  arms  and  armor  which  Vulcan  has  made. 
To-morrow's  sun  shall  see  many  of  the  Rutulian 
enemy  slain." 

She  ceased,  and  parting,  to  the  bark 

A  measured  impulse  gave;  * 

Like  wind-swift  arrow  to  its  mark 
It  darts  along  the  wave. 

The  rest  pursue.     In  wondering  awe 

The  chief  revolves  the  things  he  saw. 

Conington;  .'Eneid^  Book  X. 

At  dawn  of  morning  the  fleet  came  within  view 
of  the  Trojan  camp.  Then  /Eneas  standing  on  the 
deck  of  his  own  vessel,  held  aloft  his  bright  shield 
made  by  Vulcan.  His  people  saw  it  from  the  ram- 
parts, and  shouted  loud  with  joy,  and  now,  their 
hope  being  revived,  they  assailed  the  enemy  with 
fresh  courage.  The  Rutulians  and  Latians  were 
amazed  at  this  sudden  changre,  not  knowing  the 
cause,  but  looking  back,  they  too  beheld  the  fleet 
approaching  the  shore. 

The  brave  Turnus  however  was  not  dismayed  at 
the  sight.  On  the  contrary  he  resolved  to  give 
battle  to  the  new  foe  without  delay,  and  so  address- 
ing his  men  he  bade  them  fight  valiantly  for  their 


163 

homes  and  country,  remembering  the  glorious  deeds 
of  their  ancestors. 

"  Your  sires,  your  sons,  your  houses,  and  your  lands, 
And  dearest  wives,  are  all  within  your  hands  ; 
Be  mindful  of  the  race  from  whence  you  came, 
And  emulate  in  arms  your  fathers'  fame." 

Dryden,  yEneid^  Book  X. 

Then  he  hurried  to  the  shore  with  the  main  body 
of  his  army,  and  ^^neas  having  ah*eady  landed  his 
companions  and  allies,  a  fierce  battle  began.  The 
Trojan  hero  performed  wonderful  feats  of  valor. 
First  he  attacked  the  Latian  troops,  who  were  in 
front  of  the  hosts  of  the  enemy,  and  he  slew  their 
leader  The'ron,  a  warrior  of  giant  size.  Through 
his  brazen  shield  and  golden  coat  of  mail  ^neas 
smote  him  with  his  sword.  Next  he  slew  Lycas, 
and  then  Cis'seus  and  Gyas,  tall  men  and  powerful, 
who,  with  clubs  like  the  club  of  Hercules,  had  been 
striking  down  the  Trojans.  Then  a  band  of  seven 
warrior  brothers,  the  sons  of  Phorcus,  attacked  the 
Trojan  chief,  hurling  seven  darts  upon  him  all 
together,  some  of  which  rebounded  from  his  shield, 
and  some,  turned  aside  by  Venus,  harmlessly  grazed 
his  skin.  yEneas  now  called  to  the  faithful  Achates 
to  bring  him  darts  —  those  with  which  on  the  plains 
of  Troy  the  bodies  of  Grecian  warriors  had  been 
pierced  — 


164 

"  Those  fatal  weapons,  which,  inured  to  blood, 
In  Grecian  bodies  under  Ilium  stood  ; 
Not  one  of  those  my  hand  shall  toss  in  vain 
Against  our  foes,  on  this  contended  plain." 

Drvdex,  y^neid.  Book  X. 

Grasping  a  mighty  spear,  as  soon  as  these  weapons 
were  brought  to  him,  .-Eneas  hurled  it  at  Macon, 
one  of  the  brothers.  It  pierced  through  his  shield 
and  breastplate,  and  he  fell  mortally  wounded.  At 
his  brother  Alcanor,  who  had  run  to  his  relief,  .Eneas 
cast  another  dart,  which  penetrated  his  shoulder, 
leaving  the  warrior's  arm  hanging  lifeless  bv  his 
body.  And  now  Hal-^e'sus  with  his  Auruncian 
bands,  and  Messapus,  the  son  of  Neptune,  conspicu- 
ous with  his  steeds,  hastened  up  to  encounter  .Eneas. 
The  fight  then  became  more  furious  and  many  were 
slain  on  both  sides. 

Thus  Trojan  and  Italian  meet, 
With  face  to  face,  and  feet  to  feet, 
And  hand  close  pressed  to  hand. 

CoMNGTON,  Mneid,  Book  X. 

In  another  quarter  of  the  field  young  Pallas, 
fighting  at  the  head  of  his  Arcadian  horsemen,  slew 
many  chiefs  of  the  Latians  and  Rutulians.  Opposed 
to  him  was  Lausus,  son  of  the  tyrant  Mezentius. 
Lausus  being  hard  pressed  by  the  Arcadians,  King 
Turnus  was  called  to  his  assistance,  and  rushing  up 


i65 

he  cried  to  the  Rutuhans, ''  Desist  you  for  a  moment 
from  the  battle.  I  alone  will  fight  Pallas.  Would 
that  his  father  were  here  to  see."  Hearing  these 
words  the  brave  son  of  Evander  advanced  boldly 
into  the  open  plain  between  the  two  hosts.  The 
hearts  of  his  Arcadian  followers  were  filled  with 
dread  at  seeing  their  young  chief  about  to  engage 
in  sino-le  combat  with  so  orreat  a  warrior  as  the 
Rutulian  king.  Turnus  sprang  down  from  his 
chariot,  to  meet  his  foe  on  foot. 

And,  as  a  lion  —  when  he  spies  from  far 

A  bull  that  seems  to  meditate  the  war, 

Bending  his  neck,  and  spurning  back  the  sand  — 

Runs  roaring  downward  from  his  hilly  stand  ; 

Imagine  eager  Turnus  not  more  slow 

To  rush  from  high  on  his  unequal  foe. 

Dryden,  yEneid,  Book  X. 

Then  Pallas  prayed  to  Hercules,  once  his  father's 
guest,  to  help  him.  Hercules  in  his  place  in  heaven, 
hearing  the  prayer,  groaned  in  distress  and  poured 
forth  tears,  for  he  knew  that  the  fate  of  the  brave 
youth  could  not  be  averted.  Noticing  the  grief  of 
his  son,  almighty  Father  Jupiter  spoke  to  him  in 
comfortino-  words.  "To  everv  one,"  said  he,  "his 
period  of  life  is  fixed.  Short  is  the  time  allotted  to 
all,  but  it  is  the  part  of  the  brave  man  to  lengthen 
out  fame  by  glorious  deeds.     Many  even  of  the  sons 


i66 

of  the  gods  have  fallen  under  the  lofty  walls  of  Troy. 
Turn  us  too  awaits  his  destiny,  and  already  he  has 
nearly  arrived  at  the  limit  of  existence  left  to  him." 
So  saying  the  king  of  heaven  turned  his  eyes  from 
the  scene  of  battle. 

Pallas  now  hurled  his  spear  with  great  force. 
The  weapon  struck  the  armor  of  Turnus  near  his 
shoulder,  and  piercing  through  it,  grazed  his  body. 
Then  Turnus  poising  his  sharp  steel-tipped  javelin, 
darted  it  at  Pallas.  ThrouQ-h  the  centre  of  his 
many-plated  shield  and  the  folds  of  his  corselet  the 
fatal  shaft  passed  into  the  breast  of  the  brave  youth, 
inflictingr  a  mortal  wound.  Down  on  the  earth  he 
fell,  and  Turnus  approaching  the  dead  body  ex- 
claimed, "You  Arcadians  carry  these  my  words  to 
your  king.  In  such  plight  as  he  deserved  I  send  his 
son  back  to  him.  His  league  of  friendship  with 
^neas  shall  cost  him  dear." 

Then  Turnus  stripped  from  the  body  of  Pallas 
a  beautiful  belt,  embossed  with  figures  carved  in 
gold,  and  putting  it  on  his  own  armor,  triumphed 
in  the  spoil.  It  proved  to  be  a  fatal  possession  for 
Turnus. 

O  mortals!  blind  in  fate  who  never  know 

To  bear  high  fortune,  or  endure  the  low! 

The  time  shall  come  when  Turnus,  but  in  vain. 

Shall  wish  untouched  the  trophies  of  the  slain  — 


'v5^ 


(167) 


1 68 

Shall  wish  the  fatal  belt  were  far  awav, 
And  curse  the  dire  remembrance  of  the  day. 

Drvdex.  ^neid^  Book  X. 

The  body  of  the  brave  young  prince  was  laid 
upon  his  shield,  and  borne  away  from  the  field  of 
battle,  accompanied  by  a  numerous  retinue  of  his 
sorrowing  friends. 

O  sad,  proud  thought,  that  thus  a  son 

Should  reach  a  father's  door! 
This  day  beheld  your  wars  begun; 

This  day  beholds  them  o'er, 

CoNiNGTON,  yEneid,  Book  X. 

The  news  of  the  fate  of  Pallas  soon  reached  y^neas, 
who  was  deeply  distressed  at  the  thought  of  the 
sorrow  the  youth's  death  would  bring  upon  his  aged 
father  Evander.  Eager  for  vengeance,  he  hastened 
through  the  battle  field  in  search  of  Turnus,  slaying- 
many  chiefs  of  the  enemy  whom  he  encountered  on 
his  way.  But  he  was  not  yet  to  meet  the  Rutulian 
king  face  to  face,  for  Juno,  by  Jupiter's  permission, 
led  Turnus  off  the  field,  and  saved  him  for  a  time 
from  the  wrath  of  the  Trojan  hero.  Out  of  a  hollow 
cloud  she  fashioned  a  phantom  with  the  shape,  like- 
ness and  voice  of  yEneas,  and  caused  it  to  appear 
before  Turnus,  as  if  challenging  him  to  combat. 

A  phantom  in  Eneas'  mould 
She  fashions,  wondrous  to  behold, 
Of  hollow  shadowy  cloud, 


169 

Bids  it  the  Dardan  arms  assume, 
The  shield,  the  helmet,  and  the  plume, 
Gives  soulless  words  of  swelling  tone, 
And  motions  like  the  hero's  own, 
As  stately  and  as  proud. 

CoNiNGTON,  ALueidy  Book  X. 

The  Rutulian  king  bravely  advanced  to  attack  the 
supposed  Trojan  chief,  upon  which  the  spectre, 
wheehng  about,  hastily  retreated  towards  the  river. 
Turnus  followed,  loudly  upbraiding  ^4ineas  as  a 
coward.  It  happened  that  at  the  shore  there  was  a 
ship,  connected  with  the  land  by  a  plank  bridge  or 
gangway.  Into  this  ship  the  phantom  fled,  closely 
pursued  by  Turnus;  and  no  sooner  had  the  latter 
reached  the  deck  of  the  vessel  than  Juno,  bursting 
the  cables  which  held  it  to  the  bank,  sent  it  floating 
down  the  stream.  Then  the  figure  of  cloud,  soaring 
aloft,  vanished  into  the  air,  and  Turnus  knew  that 
he  had  been  deceived. 

He  was  much  distressed  at  being  thus  separated 
from  his  brave  followers,  and  mortified  at  the 
thought  that  they  might  think  he  had  deserted 
them  in  the  hour  of  danger.  In  his  grief  he  at- 
tempted to  destroy  his  own  life  with  his  sword,  but 
Juno  restrained  him,  and  the  ship,  wafted  along  by 
favoring  wind  and  tide,  bore  him  to  y\rdea,  the  capi- 
tal city  of  his  own  country,  where  his  father.  King 
Daunus,  resided. 


I70 

Meanwhile,  on  the  battle  field,  the  Etrurian  king, 
Mezentius,  who  had  taken  the  place  of  Turnus, 
attacked  the  Trojans  with  great  fury.  He  had 
slain  many  valiant  warriors  when  ^neas  espying 
him  from  a  distance,  hurried  forward  to  encounter 
him.  Mezentius  stood  firm,  and  relying  on  his 
strong  arm  and  his  weapons,  rather  than  on  divine 
aid  (being  a  despiser  of  the  gods)  he  cast  a  spear  at 
the  Trojan  leader.  The  missile  struck  the  hero's 
shield,  but  it  was  the  shield  which  Vulcan  had 
made,  and  could  not  be  pierced  by  earthly  weapon. 
Then  ^neas  hurled  his  javelin.  Through  the 
triple  plates  of  brass,  and  the  triple  bull-hide  cover- 
ing of  the  Etrurian  king's  shield  it  passed,  and, 
lodging  in  his  groin,  inflicted  a  severe,  though  not 
fatal,  wound.  Instantly  the  Trojan  chief  rushed, 
with  sword  in  hand,  upon  his  foe,  as,  disabled,  he 
was  about  to  withdraw  from  the  conflict.  But  at 
this  moment  young  Lausus,  the  son  of  Mezentius, 
sprang  forward  and  received  on  his  sword  the  blow 
that  had  been  intended  for  his  father. 

The  pious  youth,  resolved  on  death,  below 
The  lifted  sword,  springs  forth  to  face  the  foe; 
Protects  his  parent,  and  prevents  the  blow. 

Drvden,  yEneidy  Book  X. 

But  Lausus  was  no  match  for  the  veteran  Trojan 
warrior.    Yet  yEneas,  admiring  his  courage  and  filial 


171 

devotion,  would  fain  have  spared  the  brave  youth. 
"  Why  do  you  attempt,"  said  he,  "  what  you  have  not 
strength  to  accomphsh  ?  You  do  but  rush  to  your 
own  destruction."  Regardless,  however,  of  danger, 
the  gallant  Lausus  fought  till  he  fell  lifeless  on 
the  earth,  ^^neas  was  touched  with  pity  at  the 
sight,  for  he  thought  of  his  own  son,  and  of  how  he 
himself  had  loved  his  own  father.  Then,  he  tenderly 
lifted  the  body  from  the  ground,  and  consigned  it 
to  the  care  of  his  friends.  They  carried  it  to  Mezen- 
tius,  who  was  resting  on  the  river  bank,  after 
havino-  bathed  his  wounds  in  the  water.  When  he 
beheld  the  lifeless  form,  the  unhappy  man  burst 
into  tears,  and  bitterly  lamented  his  own  misdeeds 
which  had  brought  such  calamities  upon  him  — 
banishment  from  his  throne  and  country,  and  now, 
worst  of  all,  the  loss  of  his  son.  "  Why  do  I  live, 
my  son,"  cried  he,  "  at  the  cost  of  thy  life }  My 
crimes  have  been  the  cause  of  thy  death." 

"  Dear  child !  I  stained  your  glorious  name 
By  my  own  crimes,  driven  out  to  shame 
From  my  ancestral  reign; 
My  country's  vengeance  claimed  my  blood; 
Ah!  had  that  tainted,  guilty  flood 

Been  shed  from  every  vein  ! 
Now  'mid  my  kind  I  linger  still 
And  live;  but  leave  the  light  I  will." 

CoNiNCTON,  /Eneid,  Book  X. 


1/2 

Then  though  he  was  suffering  much  from  the  pain 
of  his  wound,  he  called  for  his  horse,  the  gallant  steed 
Rhoebus,  which  had  borne  him  victorious  through 
many  a  fight.  The  animal  seemed  to  feel  the  grief 
of  its  master,  and  to  understand  the  words  he  spoke: 
"  Long,  Rhoebus,"  said  he,  "  have  we  lived,  compan- 
ions in  war,  — if  indeed  the  life  of  mortals  can  be 
said  to  be  long.  But  to-day  we  shall  either  die 
together,  or  bear  away  the  body  of  /Eneas,  and  so 
avenge  the  death  of  Lausus." 

Mounting  his  horse,  and  filling  both  hands  with 
javelins  Mezentius  then  rode  rapidly  to  the  scene 
of  conflict,  calling  loudly  for  yEneas.  The  Trojan 
chief  knew  the  voice,  and  eager  for  the  encounter, 
he  quickly  advanced.  But  the  brave  Etrurian,  fear- 
ing not  to  meet  his  foe,  cried  out,  "  Cruel  man,  you 
cannot  terrify  me,  now  that  my  son  is  snatched  from 
me.  I  am  not  afraid  of  death,  for  I  have  come  to 
die.  First,  however,  take  these  orifts  which  I  brino- 
for  you."  Thus  speaking  he  hurled  a  dart  at  the 
Trojan  leader,  and  then  another  and  another,  and 
three  times  he  rode  in  a  circle  round  the  hero, 
casting  javelins  at  him.  But  the  weapons  of 
Mezentius  could  not  pass  through  the  celestial 
shield  of  /Eneas,  though  they  fixed  themselves  in  it, 
and  there  were  so  many  that  they  resembled  a 
grove  of  spears. 


^71 

Thrice,  fiercely  hurling  spears  on  spears, 

From  right  to  left  he  wheeled; 
Thrice,  facing  round  as  he  careers, 
The  steely  grove  the  Trojan  bears, 

Thick  planted  on  his  shield. 

At  length  ^neas  hurled  a  javelin  at  the  warrior's 
horse,  striking  it  between  the  temples.  The  animal 
reared,  beating  the  air  with  its  hoofs,  and  rolling  over 
its  rider,  pinned  him  to  the  earth.  Then  the  Trojan 
chief  rushed,  sword  in  hand,  upon  his  fallen  foe,  and 
the  brave  Mezentius  died  asking  only  the  favor  of 
burial  for  his  body. 

"For  this,  this  only  favor,  let  me  sue; 
If  pity  can  to  conquered  foes  be  due, 
Refuse  it  not;  but  let  my  body  have 
The  last  retreat  of  human-kind,  a  grave. 
This  refuge  for  my  poor  remains  provide; 
And  lay  my  much-loved  Lausus  by  my  side." 

Dryden,  Mneid,  Book  X. 


X.     FUNERAL    OF    PALLAS  — .ENEAS    AND 
TURNUS  FIGHT -TURNUS  IS  SLAIN. 

With  the  death  of  Mezentius  the  battle  of  the 
day  came  to  an  end.  Early  next  morning  yEneas 
offered  sacrifices  to  the  gods  in  thanksgiving  for 
his  victory.  On  a  rising  ground  he  caused  to  be 
erected  the  trunk  of  a  huge  oak,  with  its  boughs 
lopped  off.  Upon  this  he  hung  as  an  offering  to  the 
war-god  Mars,  the  arms  that  had  been  borne  by  the 
Etrurian  king  —  his  crest,  and  his  broken  spears, 
his  breastplate,  showing  the  marks  of  many  blows, 
his  shield  of  brass,  and  his  ivory-hilted  sword.  Then 
he  spoke  words  of  encouragement  to  his  chiefs  and 
companions. 

"  Brother  warriors,  our  most  important  work  is 
done.  Henceforth  we  need  have  no  fear.  Havinsf 
vanquished  the  tyrant  Mezentius,  the  way  lies  open 
for  us  to  the  Latian  capital.  Make  ready  your  arms 
so  that  there  may  be  no  obstacle  to  detain  us  when 
the  proper  moment  arrives  for  leading  forth  our  vali- 
ant youth  from  the  camp.  Meanwhile  let  us  com- 
mit to  the  earth  the  bodies  of  our  dead  friends.     It 

[174] 


175 

is  the  sole  honor  remaining  for  us  to  pay  to  the 
heroic  men  who,  with  their  Hves,  have  won  for  us  a 
country  to  dwell  in.  But  first,  to  the  mourning  city 
of  Evander  let  the  body  of  the  noble  Pallas  be 
conveyed." 

"  Brave  Pallas,  heir  of  high  renown, 
Whose  hopeful  day  has  set  too  soon, 
O'ercast  by  darkness  ere  its  noon." 

CoNiNGTON,  ASneid,  Book  XI. 

The  obsequies  of  the  young  prince  were  carried 
out  on  a  scale  of  great  magnificence.  A  thousand 
men  formed  the  funeral  procession.  The  body  was 
dressed  in  rich  robes,  stiff  with  embroidery  of  gold 
and  purple,  which  Queen  Dido  with  her  own  hands 
had  wrought  for  ^neas.  Beside  the  bier  were 
borne  the  dead  youth's  arms,  and  the  spoils  he  had 
won  in  battle.  His  war-horse  ^thon,  too,  was  led 
along,  big  tear  drops  running  down  the  animal's 
cheeks,  as  if  it  shared  in  the  general  sorrow. 

Then  ^thon  comes,  his  trappings  doffed, 

The  warrior's  gallant  horse  ; 
Big  drops  of  pity  oft  and  oft 
Adown  his  visage  course. 

CoNiNGTON,  yEneid^  Book  XI. 

Behind  followed  the  numerous  escort  of  Trojan, 
Etrurian  and  Arcadian  warriors,  and  the  long  pro- 
cession passed  on  with  a  last  sad   adieu  from  the 


176 

Trojan  chief.  "  By  the  same  fearful  fate  of  war," 
said  he,  "  I  am  called  to  other  scenes  of  woe.  Fare- 
well, noble  Pallas,  farewell,  forever."  When  the  sor- 
rowing cortege  reached  Pallanteum,  the  whole  city 
was  in  mourning.  To  the  gates  the  people  has- 
tened in  vast  numbers  bearing  funeral  torches  in 
their  hands,  according  to  ancient  custom,  and  Tro- 
jans and  Arcadians  joined  in  loud  lamentations. 

Both  parties  meet ;  they  raise  a  doleful  cry  ; 
The  matrons  from  the  walls  with  shrieks  reply  ; 
And  their  mixed  mourning  rends  the  vaulted  sky. 

Dryden,  /Eneid,  Book  XI. 

King  Evander  distracted  with  grief,  prostrated 
himself  upon  the  bier,  and  clasping  in  his  arms  the 
body  of  his  son,  poured  out  a  flood  of  tears,  bewail- 
ing the  unhappy  fate  which  left  him  childless  in  his 
old  age. 

Meantime,  ^neas  and  the  Latian  chiefs  agreed 
upon  a  truce  of  twelve  days  for  the  burial  of  the 
dead  of  both  armies,  which  lay  scattered  over  the 
battle  field.  While  this  sad  duty  was  being  per- 
formed. King  Latinus  and  his  counsellors  consid- 
ered what  was  best  to  be  done,  after  the  truce  — 
whether  to  continue  the  war,  or  to  propose  terms  of 
peace.  They  had  sent  ambassadors  to  solicit  help 
from  Di-o-me'de,  one  of  the  Grecian  heroes  of  the 
Trojan  war,  who,  after  the  siege,  had  settled  in  Apulia 


177 

in  Italy,  and  built  the  city  of  Ar-gyr'i-pa,  where  he 
now  resided.  But  Diomede  refused  to  fight  against 
i^neas,  and  he  reminded  the  Latians  that  all  who 
had  raised  the  sword  against  Troy  had  suffered 
grievous  punishments.  "  I  myself,"  said  he,  "  am  an 
exile  from  my  native  country,  and  dire  calamities 
have  fallen  upon  many  of  my  people.  Ask  me  not, 
therefore,  to  quarrel  with  the  Trojans.  How  mighty 
their  leader  is  in  battle  I  know  by  experience,  for  I 
have  engaged  him  hand  to  hand.  Had  Troy  pro- 
duced two  other  such  heroes,  it  would  have  fared  ill 
with  Greece.  It  was  Hector  and  yEneas  who  held 
back  the  victory  of  our  countrymen  for  ten  years  — 
both  distinguished  for  valor  and  noble  feats  of  arms, 
but  the  son  of  Anchises  excelling  in  reverence  for 
the  gods.  With  him,  therefore,  men  of  Latium,  I 
advise  you  to  join  in  a  league  of  friendship,  if  by 
any  means  you  can  do  it.  Beware,  however,  of  en- 
countering him  in  war." 

The  ambassadors  delivered  this  message  to  King 
Latinus  as   he  was  sittino-  in  his  council  chamber 

O 

with  his  chief  men  around  him.  The  kino-  once 
more  earnestly  advised  that  they  should  make  peace 
with  the  Trojans,  and  give  them  lands  to  settle  on, 
if  they  still  desired  to  dwell  in  Latium,  or  build  for 
them  a  new  fleet  if  they  were  willing  to  withdraw 
from  Italy  and  seek  homes  in  some  other  country. 

STO.  OK  A^yKAS —  12 


178 

He  also  advised  that  they  should  send  these  pro- 
posals to  the  Trojan  camp. 

"To  treat  the  peace,  a  hundred  senators 
Shall  be  commissioned  hence  with  ample  powers, 
With  olive  crowned  ;  the  presents  they  shall  bear, 
A  purple  robe,  a  royal  ivory  chair, 
And  sums  of  gold.     Among  yourselves  debate 
This  great  affair,  and  save  the  sinking  state." 

Dryden,  yEneid,  Book  XI. 

King  Turnus  was  present  at  this  council,  and  there 
was  also  present  a  Latian  named  Dran'ces,  a  very 
eloquent  man,  but  not  a  warrior. 

—  Bold  at  the  council  board, 
But  cautious  in  the  field,  he  shunned  the  sword. 

Dryden,  ySneid,  Book  XI. 

Drances  spoke  in  support  of  the  advice  given  by 
Latinus.  He  also  said  that  one  more  gift  should 
be  sent  to  /Eneas,  namely,  the  fair  Lavinia,  since  by 
no  other  means  could  peace  be  more  firmly  estab- 
lished than  by  a  marriage  between  the  Latian  prin- 
cess and  the  Trojan  hero.  Then  addressing  Turnus, 
the  bold  Drances  reproached  him  with  having 
brought  upon  his  country  all  the  horrors  of  war  to 
gratify  his  ambition  for  the  honor  of  a  royal  wife. 
"  You  Turnus,"  said  he,  "  are  the  cause  of  the  evils 
which  afflict  us.  It  is  through  you  that  so  many  of 
our  chiefs  have  perished  on  the  battle  field,  and  that 


179 

our  whole  city  is  in  mourning.  Have  you  no  pity 
for  your  own  people  ?  Lay  aside  your  fierceness, 
and  give  up  this  hopeless  contest.  But  if  you  are 
still  eager  for  glory  in  war,  and  must  have  a  king- 
dom with  your  wife,  then  take  all  the  risk  yourself, 
and  do  not  ask  others  to  expose  themselves  to  dan- 
ger for  you.  ^^neas  has  challenged  you  to  single 
combat.  If  you  have  any  valor,  go  and  fight  with 
him." 

Enraged  at  this  speech,  Turnus  angrily  replied  — 
"  Drances,  you  have  always  many  words  when  deeds 
are  required.  But  this  is  not  the  time  to  fill  the 
chamber  with  words,  which  come  in  torrents  from 
you  so  long  as  you  are  in  safety  with  strong  walls 
between  you  and  the  foe.  You  charge  me  with 
cowardice,  you,  the  valiant  Drances,  whose  right 
hand,  forsooth,  has  piled  up  so  many  trophies  of 
victory  on  the  field !  There  is  an  opportunity  for 
you  now,  however,  to  put  your  valor  to  the  proof, 
for  we  have  not  far  to  go  in  search  of  the  enemy. 
Why  do  you  hesitate  to  march  against  them  ?  " 

Then  speaking  to  the  king,  Turnus  earnestly 
entreated  him  not  to  give  up  the  fight  because  of 
one  defeat.  "  We  have  still,"  said  he,  "  ample  re- 
sources and  fresh  troops,  and  many  Italian  cities  r 
and  nations  are  in  alliance  with  us.  The  Trojans 
as  well  as  ourselves  have  suffered  heavy  loss.     Why 


i8o 

then  should  we  permit  fear  to  overcome  us  almost 
at  the  beginning  of  the  struggle  ?  If  the  Trojans 
demand  that  I  alone  shall  fight  their  leader,  gladly 
will  I  advance  against  him,  even  though  he  prove 
himself  as  great  a  warrior  as  Achilles,  and  sheath 
himself  in  armor  forged  by  the  hands  of  Vulcan." 
Turnus  had  scarcely  finished  speaking,  when  a 
messenger  rushed  into  the  palace  with  the  alarming 
intelligence  that  the  Trojan  and  Etrurian  armies 
had  quitted  their  camp  on  the  bank  of  the  Tiber, 
and  were  marching  toward  the  city.  Instantly  all 
was  confusion  and  dismay  in  the  council. 

A  turmoil  takes  the  public  mind; 
Their  passions  flame,  by  furious  wind 

To  conflagration  blown; 
At  once  to  arms  they  fain  would  fly; 
"To  arms!  "  the  youth  impatient  cry; 

The  old  men  weep  and  moan. 

CoNiNGTON,  ^^neid.  Book  XI. 

Turnus  was  quick  to  take  advantage  of  this 
altered  state  of  affairs.  "  Citizens,"  he  exclaimed, 
"  will  you  still  persist  in  talking  about  peace  even 
now  that  the  enemy  is 'almost  at  your  doors  .r'" 
Then,  withdrawing  from  the  council  chamber,  he 
hastened  to  give  orders  to  his  Rutulian  chiefs  to 
get  the  troops  ready  for  immediate  action  —  some 
to  lead  the  armed  horsemen  out  upon  the  plain, 


i8i 

others  to  man  the  towers,  others  to  follow  him  where 
he  should  command.  The  Latians,  too,  excited  to 
ardor  by  the  approach  of  the  enemy,  rushed  to  arms, 
and  soon  the  whole  city  was  in  warlike  commotion. 

Some  help  to  sink  new  trenches;  others  aid 

To  ram  the  stones,  or  raise  the  palisade. 

Hoarse  trumpets  sound  the  alarm;  around  the  walls 

Runs  a  distracted  crew,  whom  their  last  labor  calls. 

Dryden,  ^lu'id.  Book  XI. 

In  the  midst  of  the  excitement,  Queen  Amata 
and  her  daughter  Lavinia,  attended  by  a  great 
number  of  matrons,  repaired  in  procession  to  the 
temple  of  Minerva,  and  prayed  to  the  goddess,  to 
break  the  Trojan  pirate's  spear,  and  lay  him  pros- 
trate in  death  under  the  city's  walls.  Meanwhile, 
Turnus,  armed  for  battle,  went  forth  from  the 
palace,  and  hastened  towards  the  plain  to  join  his 
brave  Rutulians.  At  the  gate  he  was  met  by  the 
Volscian  Queen  Camilla,  at  the  head  of  a  troop  of 
female  warriors,  all  on  horseback.  The  brave  queen 
requested  that  she  and  her  companions  should  have 
the  honor  of  being  the  first  to  encounter  the  Trojan 
host.  "  Noble  heroine,"  replied  the  Rutulian  chief, 
"how  can  I  express  my  thanks?  Since  such  is 
your  spirit,  I  am  willing  tliat  you  should  share  the 
daneers  with  us.  ^^neas  has  sent  his  horsemen  to 
scour  the  plain,  while  he  himself  is  marching  through 


l82 

a  secluded  valley  with  his  foot  soldiers  to  take  the 
city  by  surprise.  This  we  learn  from  our  scouts. 
Now  I  will  beset  him  on  the  way  with  an  armed 
band,  and  to  you  I  assign  the  task  of  engaging  the 
Etrurian  horsemen.  The  brave  Messapus  and  the 
Latian  troops  will  be  with  you,  and  under  your 
command." 

Camilla  and  her  troop  performed  prodigies  of 
valor  in  the  battle  which  now  took  place  on  the  plain 
before  the  city.  Many  Trojan  and  Etrurian  warriors 
fell,  stricken  down  by  the  darts  or  pierced  by  the 
sword  of  the  brave  heroine.  On  both  sides  the  battle 
was  maintained  with  the  utmost  bravery.  Twice 
the  Trojans  and  their  Tuscan  allies  drove  the  Latians 
flying  to  the  walls,  and  twice  the  Latians,  facing 
about,  furiously  drove  back  the  Trojans. 

Twice  were  the  Tuscans  masters  of  the  field, 
Twice  by  the  Latins,  in  their  turn,  repelled. 
Ashamed  at  length,  to  the  third  charge  they  ran  — 
Both  hosts  resolved,  and  mingled  man  to  man. 
Now  dying  groans  are  heard;  the  fields  are  strewed, 
With  falling  bodies,  and  are  drunk  with  blood. 
Arms,  horses,  men,  on  heaps  together  lie; 
Confused  the  fight,  and  more  confused  the  cry. 

Dryden,  ySneid,  Book  XI. 

The  battle  continued  to  rage  furiously,  and  it 
seemed  doubtful  which  side  would  win,  until  Camilla 
was  slain  by  the   Etruscan   Aruns,  who  had  been 


i83 

watching  for  an  opportunity  to  cast  a  spear  at  the 
queen. 

This  way  and  that  his  winding  course  he  bends, 
And  wheresoe'er  she  turns,  her  steps  attends. 

Dryden,  /Eneid,  Book  XI. 

There  was  in  the  Trojan  army  a  warrior,  and  priest 
of  Cybele,  named  Chlo'reus,  conspicuous  on  the  field 
by  the  rich  trappings  of  his  horse  and  his  own  ght- 
tering  arms  and  attire.  He  wore  a  purple  robe,  his 
helmet  and  the  bow  which  hung  from  his  shoulders 
were  of  gold ;  his  saffron  colored  scarf  was  fastened 
with  a  gold  clasp ;  and  his  tunic  was  embroidered 
with  needle-work.  Camilla  seeing  these  beautiful 
and  costly  things,  became  eager  to  possess  them, 
and  so  she  pursued  Chloreus  over  the  field  of  battle. 

Him  the  fierce  maid  beheld  with  ardent  eyes, 
Fond  and  ambitious  of  so  rich  a  prize, 
Blind  in  her  haste,  she  chases  him  alone. 
And  seeks  his  life,  regardless  of  her  own. 

Dryden,  .-Encid,  Book  XI. 

Thus  she  furnished  the  opportunity  desired  by 
Aruns,  who,  from  a  covert  in  which  he  lay  concealed, 
hurled  a  dart  at  the  queen  as,  heedless  of  danger, 
she  rode  in  pursuit  of  Chloreus.  The  weapon  pierced 
her  body  and  she  sank  down  lifeless. 

The  fortune  of  the  day  now  turned  to  the  side  of 
the  Trojans.     Dismayed  by  the  loss  of  their  brave 


i84 

leader  Camilla,  the  Volscian  troops  fled  from  the 
field.  The  Rutulian  captains,  also  losing  courage, 
sought  safety  in  flight,  and  soon  the  whole  Italian 
army  was  in  full  retreat  towards  the  city,  hotly  pur- 
sued by  the  Trojans.  At  the  gates  many  were 
trampled  to  death  in  the  wild  rush  to  get  within, 
while  many  more  were  slain  by  the  swords  of  the 
enemy  pressing  on  behind. 

Then,  in  a  fright,  the  folding  gates  they  close, 
But  leave  their  friends  excluded  with  their  foes. 
The  vanquished  cry;  the  victors  loudly  shout; 
'Tis  terror  all  within,  and  slaughter  all  without. 

Drvden,  yEneid,  Book  XI. 

When  Turnus  heard  that  Camilla  had  fallen,  that 
the  Trojans  had  been  victorious  in  the  battle,  and 
that  all  was  confusion  and  terror  within  the  walls, 
he  immediately  quitted  the  post  where  he  had  been 
lying  in  wait  for  ^neas,  and  hurried  towards  the 
city.  Almost  at  the  same  moment  the  Trojan  chief 
issued  forth  from  the  valley.  Both  armies  and  both 
leaders  were  now  in  sight  of  each  other  and  both 
were  eager  for  battle,  but  night  coming  on,  they 
pitched  their  tents  and  encamped  in  front  of  the 
town. 

But  the  Latians  were  now  disheartened,  and 
Turnus  saw  they  were  no  longer  willing  to  con- 
tinue   a    struggle    which    seemed    hopeless.      He 


i85 

himself,  however,  was  still  determined  not  to  yield, 
and  he  resolved  to  encounter  ^-Eneas  in  single  com- 
bat "  With  my  own  right  hand,"  said  he,  "  I  shall 
slay  the  Trojan  adventurer,  while  the  Latians  sit 
still  and  look  on,  and  if  he  vanquish  me,  let  him 
rule  over  us,  and  have  Lavinia  for  his  bride."  King 
Latinus  endeavored  to  dissuade  him  from  this  dan- 
gerous enterprise.  "  Turnus,"  said  he,  "  you  are 
heir  to  the  kingdom  of  your  father  Daunus.  There 
are  other  high-born  maidens  in  Latium,  from  whom 
you  may.  chose  a  wife.  It  was  decreed  by  the 
gods  that  Lavinia  should  wed  no  prince  of  Italy, 
yet  through  affection  for  you,  and  yielding  to  the 
prayers  of  my  queen,  I  permitted  the  Latians  to 
make  war  against  him  to  whom,  in  accordance  with 
the  will  of  heaven,  my  daughter  was  promised.  You 
see  what  calamities  have  come  upon  us  in  conse- 
quence. In  two  great  battles  we  have  been  de- 
feated, and  now  we  are  scarce  able  to  defend 
ourselves  in  our  capital  city.  If  upon  your  death  I 
am  resolved  to  make  an  alliance  with  the  Trojans, 
is  it  not  better  to  23ut  an  end  to  the  war  while  you 
are  still  alive  ? " 

Queen  Amata  also  entreated  Turnus  not  to  risk 
his  life  in  an  engagement  with  the  Trojan  chief. 
"Whatever  fortune  awaits  you,  Turnus,"  she  said, 
"awaits  me  also.     I  shall  not  live  and  see  /Eneas 


1 86 

my  son-in-law."  The  fair  Lavinia  was  present 
during  her  mother's  passionate  appeal,  but  she  ex- 
pressed her  feeling  only  by  tears  and  modest 
blushes. 

—  A  flood  of  tears  Lavinia  shed; 
A  crimson  blush  her  beauteous  face  o'erspread, 
Varying  her  cheeks  by  turns  with  white  and  red. 
Delightful  change!     Thus  Indian  ivory  shows, 
Which  with  the  bordering  paint  of  purple  glows; 
Or  lilies  damasked  by  the  neighboring  rose. 

Drvden,  Aineid,  Book  XII. 

But  Turnus  would  not  listen  to  the  advice  of 
King  Latinus  or  Queen  Amata  and  so  he  sent  his 
herald  Idmon  with  a  challenge  to  yEneas.  "  Tell 
him,"  said  he,  "  not  to  lead  his  men  against  the 
Rutulians  to-morrow.  Let  both  our  armies  rest, 
while  by  his  sword  and  mine  the  war  shall  be 
decided."  ^neas,  who  had  himself  already  pro:^ 
posed  this  method  of  settling  the  quarrel,  rejoiced 
to  hear  that  now  at  length  the  war  was  to  be 
brouo-ht  to  an  end  on  such  terms.  He  therefore 
gladly  accepted  the  challenge,  and  early  next  morn- 
ing preparations  were  made  for  the  combat. 

A  space  of  ground  was  measured  off  on  the  open 
plain  in  front  of  the  city  walls,  and  in  the  center  were 
erected  altars  of  turf.  The  two  armies  were  mar- 
shalled on  opposite  sides  of  this  space,  the  Trojans 


i87 

and  Etrurians  on  one  side,  the  Rutulians  and  La- 
tians  on  the  other,  and  at  a  given  signal  every  man 
fixed  his  spear  in  the  earth,  and  laid  down  his  shield. 
On  the  towers  and  house  tops  the  women  and  old 
men  crowded  to  witness  the  fight.  King  Latinus 
rode  out  from  the  city  in  a  chariot  drawn  by  four 
horses,  and  wearing  on  his  head  a  crown  with  twelve 
rays  of  gold.  Turnus  rode  in  a  chariot  drawn  by 
two  white  steeds,  and  he  bore  in  each  hand  a  javelin 
tipped  with  steel.  On  the  other  side,  yEneas,  bril- 
liant in  the  arms  which  Vulcan  had  made,  advanced 
from  his  camp  into  the  open  space,  accompanied  by 
the  young  lulus.  Then  the  customary  sacrifices 
and  offerings  were  made  at  the  altars,  after  which 
the  Trojan  chief,  unsheathing  his  sword,  prayed 
aloud  to  the  gods,  and  pledged  his  people  to  the 
conditions  of  the  combat: — 

"  If  victory  in  this  fight  shall  fall  to  Turnus,  the 
Trojans  shall  retire  to  Evander's  city,  and  no  more 
make  war  on  the  Latians  or  Rutulians.  But  if  vic- 
tory fall  to  our  side,  even  then  I  shall  not  compel  the 
Italians  to  be  subject  to  the  Trojans,  for  I  desire  not 
empire  for  myself.  Both  nations  shall  enter  into 
alliance  on  equal  terms,  and  Latinus  shall  still  be 
king.  The  Trojans  shall  build  a  city  for  me,  and  to 
it  Lavinia  shall  give  her  name." 

Then   Latinus  calling   on  the  gods  to  hear  his 


1 88 

words,  and  laying  his  hand  upon  the  altar,  swore  for 
himself  and  his  people  that  they  would  never  violate 
the  treaty  of  peace,  no  matter  how  the  combat  of 
the  day  should  result. 

"  By  the  same  heaven  (said  he),  and  earth,  and  main, 
And  all  the  powers  that  all  the  three  contain; 
Whatever  chance  befall  on  either  side, 
No  term  of  time  this  union  shall  divide; 
No  force,  no  fortune,  shall  my  vows  unbind, 
Or  shake  the  steadfast  tenor  of  my  mind." 

Drvden,  /Eneid^  Book  XII. 

But  while  the  solemn  ceremonies  were  being  car- 
ried out  at  the  altars,  the  Rutulians  began  to  show 
signs  of  dissatisfaction.  It  seemed  to  them  that  the 
youthful  Turnus  was  no  equal  match  in  arms  for  the 
veteran  Trojan. 

Already  the  Rutulians  deemed  their  man 
O'ermatched  in  arms,  before  the  fight  began. 
First  rising  fears  are  whispered  through  the  crowd; 
Then,  gathering  sound,  they  murmur  more  aloud. 
Now,  side  to  side,  they  measure  with  their  eyes 
The  champions'  bulk,  their  sinews,  and  their  size; 
The  nearer  they  approach,  the  more  is  known 
The  apparent  disadvantage  of  their  own. 

Drvden,  /^nehi,  Book  XII. 

Then  Ju-tur'na,  the  sister  of  Turnus,  knowing-  of 
the  feeling  among  the  Rutulians,  resolved  to  bring 
about  a  violation  of  the  truce  which  had  been  made. 


i89 

The  goddess  Juno  had  instigated  her  to  do  so,  tell- 
ino-  her  that  the  combat  with  /Eneas  would  be  fatal 
to  her  brother,  and  urging  her  to  prevent  it.  With 
this  object  Juturna,  who,  being  a  favorite  of  Jupiter, 
had  been  by  him  made  a  sea-nymph,  and  immortal, 
went  into  the  midst  of  the  Rutulians,  and  assuming 
the  form  of  Ca'mers,  an  illustrious  warrior  of  their 
nation,  thus  addressed  them.  "  Is  it  not  a  shame, 
Rutulians,  to  permit  one  man  to  expose  his  life  to 
danger  for  you  all  ?  We  are  greater  in  number  than 
the  enemy  and  equal  in  valor.  If  Turnus  die  ni  this 
fi^ht,  he  indeed  shall  be  famous  forever,  but  we  who 
sit  here  inactive,  shall,  after  losing  our  country,  be 
the  slaves  of  haughty  masters." 

These  words  incited  the  Rutulians  to  a  desire  for 
war,  but  Juturna  still  further  inflamed  their  minds 
by  a  singular  omen.  She  caused  to  appear  before 
them  in  the  sky  an  eagle  pursuing  a  flock  of  swans. 
The  eagle  swooped  down  upon  the  swans  where 
they  had  alighted  on  the  water  of  the  river,  and 
seizing  one  in  its  talons,  was  carrvino^  it  off.  But 
suddenly  the  flock  of  swans  arose,  and  darting  in  a 
solid  body  upon  the  eagle,  attacked  him  with  such 
force  that  he  dropped  his  prey  and  flew  off  into 
the  clouds. 

The  Rutulians  understood  the  meaning  of  this 
spectacle,  and  with  loud  shouts  they  began  to  make 


190 

preparations  for  battle.  One  of  their  number,  the 
augur  To-lum'ni-us,  cried  out  to  them  to  take  up 
their  swords  and  fall  upon  the  Trojan  foreigner, 
after  the  example  of  the  birds  who,  by  united  action, 
had  just  vanquished  their  enemy.  Then  rushing 
forward,  Tolumnius  cast  a  spear  into  the  ranks  of 
the  Trojans.  Whizzing  through  the  air  it  struck 
an  Arcadian  youth,  one  of  nine  brothers  who  were 
standing  together  in  the  Etrurian  lines,  and  pene- 
trating his  side  stretched  him  dead  on  the  field. 

Thus  the  truce  was  broken,  and  immediately  a 
fierce  battle  began,  warriors  on  both  sides  hurling 
their  darts  and  plying  their  swords,  the  very  altars 
being  overthrown  in  the  struggle.  Latinus  in  deep 
grief  and  disappointment  retired  from  the  scene, 
now  that  all  hope  of  peace  was  at  an  end.  But  the 
Trojan  chief,  with  his  head  uncovered,  stretched 
forth  his  unarmed  hand,  and  earnestly  appealed  to 
his  own  people,  "  Whither  do  you  rush  ? "  he  cried. 
"  How  has  this  discord  arisen.'*  Restrain  your  rage, 
for  the  league  is  now  formed,  and  all  its  terms, 
settled."  While  thus  endeavoring  to  restore  peace, 
the  pious  ^neas  himself  was  severely  wounded. 

—  While  he  spoke,  unmindful  of  defence, 
A  winged  arrow  struck  the  pious  prince. 
But  whether  from  some  human  hand  it  came, 
Or  hostile  god,  is  left  unknown  by  fame  ; 


191 

No  human  hand,  or  hostile  god,  was  found, 
To  boast  the  triumph  of  so  base  a  wound. 

Dryden,  Mneid,  Book  XII. 

^neas  was  led  away  to  his  tent,  bleeding  from 
his  wound.  Then  Turnus  called  for  his  war  chariot 
and  his  arms,  and  drove  furiously  over  the  plain  into 
the  midst  of  the  Trojans,  dealing  death  around  him 
on  every  side. 

He  drives  impetuous,  and,  where'er  he  goes. 
He  leaves  behind  a  lane  of  slaughtered  foes. 

Dryden,  Mneid,  Book  XII. 

One  brave  Trojan  warrior  named  Phe'geus  made 
a  gallant  fight  against  Turnus.  Leaping  in  front 
of  the  chariot,  and  seizing  the  bridles,  he  strove 
with  all  his  might  to  bring  the  horses  to  a  stand. 
While  he  was  being  dragged  along,  clinging  to  the 
pole,  a  thrust  from  the  lance  of  Turnus  pierced  his 
coat  of  mail  and  inflicted  a  slight  wound.  Still  the 
heroic  Phegeus  held  on,  and,  turning  towards  his 
foe,  endeavored  to  reach  him  with  his  sword,  but 
just  then,  coming  against  the  chariot  wheels,  he 
was  hurled  to  the  ground,  and  in  a  moment 
Turnus,  with  one  blow,  struck  off  his  head. 

Meanwhile,  yEneas  attended  by  Mnestheus,  the 
faithful  Achates,  and  the  young  lulus,  lay  bleeding 
in  his  camp.  The  barlD  of  the  arrow  by  which  he 
had  been  wounded  still  remained  fixed  in  the  flesh, 


Dra-wti  by  Viiricm. 
(192) 


Phegeus'  gallant  kight. 


193 

and  not  even  the  skillful  surgeon  I-a'pis,  whom 
Apollo  himself  had  instructed  in  medicine,  could 
extract  it.  But  the  goddess  Venus  once  more 
came  to  the  relief -of  her  son.  While  lapis  was 
fomenting  the  wound  with  water,  the  goddess, 
unseen,  dipped  into  the  vessel  a  branch  of  difta-ny, 
a  plant  famous  for  its  healing  qualities.  At  the 
same  time  she  injected  celestial  ambrosia,  and 
juice  of  the  all-curing  herb  pan-a-ce'a. 

Instantly  the  arrow  dropped  out,  the  wound 
healed  up,  and  the  Trojan  chief  recovered  his  full 
strength  and  vigor.  Then  lapis  exclaimed,  '"  Not 
by  human  hand  has  this  cure  been  effected.  Some 
powerful  god,  ^neas,  has  saved  you  for  great  enter- 
prises." Immediately  the  hero  put  on  his  armor; 
and  before  going  out  into  the  battle-field,  he  tenderly 
embraced  his  son  and  spoke  to  him  words  of  coun- 
sel and  encouragement. 

■     In  his  mailed  arms  his  child  he  pressed, 

Kissed  through  his  helm,  and  thus  addressed: 
"  Learn  of  your  father  to  be  great, 
Of  others  to  be  fortunate. 
This  hand  awhile  shall  be  your  shield 
And  lead  you  safe  from  field  to  field; 
When  grown  yourself  to  manhood's  prime, 
Remember  those  of  former  time, 
Recall  each  venerable  name, 
And  catch  heroic  fire 


194 

From  Hector's  and  JEnea.s  fame, 
Your  uncle  and  your  sire." 

CoNiNGTON',  ySnei'd,  Book  XII. 

y^ineas  now  went  forth  to  the  fioht.  The  chiefs 
and  their  followers,  encouraged  by  the  appearance 
of  their  leader,  slew  numbers  of  the  enemy,  includ- 
ing the  augur  Tolumnius,  who  had  first  broken  the 
truce.  But  the  Trojan  hero  himself  sought  only  for 
Turnus,  and  he  pursued  him  over  the  plain.  Juturna 
seeing  this,  assumed  the  shape  and  likeness  of 
Me-tis'cus,  her  brother's  charioteer,  and  taking  his 
place  upon  the  chariot,  drove  rapidly  through  the 
field,  now  here  now  there,  but  ever  keeping  at  a  dis- 
tance from  the  pursuing  Trojan  chief. 

She  steers  a  various  course  among  the  foes; 

Now  here,  now  there,  her  conquering  brother  shows; 

Now  with  a  straight,  now  with  a  wheeling  flight. 

She  turns  and  bends,  but  shuns  the  single  fight. 

^neas,  fired  with  fury,  breaks  the  crowd. 

And  seeks  his  foe,  and  calls  by  name  aloud; 

He  runs  within  a  narrower  ring,  and  tries 

To  stop  the  chariot,  but  the  chariot  flies. 

Dryden,  /^neid^  Book  XII. 

At  lenorth  ^^neas  resolved  to  brinfy  the  battle  and 
the  war  to  a  speedy  end.  While  pursuing  Turnus, 
he  had  noticed  that  the  city  was  left  without  de- 
fence, all  the  Latian  and  Rutulian  troops  being 
engaged    in    the  field.     Calling   his  chiefs  quickly 


195 

together,  he  told  them  of  his  plan.  "  The  city 
before  us,"  said  he,  "is  the  center  of  the  enemy's 
strength.  It  is  now  in  our  power.  This  day 
we  may  overturn  it,  and  lay  its  smoking  towers 
level  with  the  ground.  Am  I  to  wait  until  it 
pleases  Turnus  to  accept  my  challenge  ?  Quickly 
bring  firebrands,  and  very  soon  we  shall  establish 
peace." 

The  Trojan  forces  were  at  once  marshalled,  and 
led  in  a  solid  battalion  to  the  walls,  where  a  vigorous 
assault  forthwith  commenced.  Some  rushed  to  the 
gates  and  slew  the  first  they  met,  others  hurled  darts 
into  the  city,  and  others,  by  means  of  scaling  ladders, 
sought  to  climb  over  the  ramparts.  yEneas  in  a 
loud  voice  called  the  gods  to  witness  that  he  was 
now  for  the  second  time  compelled  to  fight,  and  that 
for  a  second  time  a  solemn  league  had  been  violated 
by  the  Latians.  Within  the  town  dissension  broke 
out  among  the  alarmed  citizens,  some  urging  that 
the  gates  should  be  opened  to  the  Trojans,  others 
taking  up  arms  to  defend  the  walls. 

Turnus  was  in  a  distant  part  of  the  field  when  he 
heard  of  the  attack  on  the  city.  A  messenger  rode 
up  to  him  in  haste  with  the  intelligence  that  /Eneas 
was  about  to  overthrow  the  stately  towers  of  Latium, 
and  that  already  flaming  torches  had  been  applied 
to  the  roofs.     Then   Turnus  saw  that  the  moment 


196 

for  action  had  come,  and  he  cried  out  to  his  sister 
(for  notwithstanding  her  disguise  he  had  known  her 
from  the  first):  "Now,  now,  sister,  my  destiny  pre- 
vails. Forbear  to  further  stop  me.  Let  me  follow 
whither  the  gods  call.  I  am  resolved  to  enter  the 
lists  with  yEneas.  No  longer  shall  you  see  me  in 
disgrace.  Whatever  bitterness  there  is  in  death  I 
am  ready  to  endure  it." 

So  saying,  Turnus  sprang  from  his  chariot,  and 
bounding  over  the  plain,  rushed  into  the  midst  of 
the  combatants  at  the  gates  of  the  city.  With  out- 
stretched arms  he  made  a  sign  to  his  friends,  and 
called  upon  them  in  a  loud  voice :  "  Rutulians  and 
Latians,  cease  fighting.  WHiatever  fortune  of  the 
war  remains  is  mine.  It  is  for  me  alone  by  my 
sword  to  put  an  end  to  this  strife." 

.^neas,  hearing  the  challege  of  Turnus,  forsook 
the  lofty  walls  and  towers,  and  hastened  to  encoun- 
ter his  foe.  The  hosts  on  both  sides  laid  down  their 
arms.  A  space  was  cleared  on  the  open  plain,  and 
immediately  the  two  heroes  rushed  to  the  combat, 
with  hurlingr  of  darts  and  clashing  of  swords  and 
shields. 

They  launch  their  spears  ;  then  hand  to   hand  they  meet ; 

The  trembUng  soil  resounds  beneath  their  feet ; 

Their  bucklers  clash  ;  thick  blows  descend  from  high, 

And  flakes  of  fire  from  their  hard  helmets  fly. 

Dryden,  yEneidy  Book  XII. 


197 

The  great  fight  now  began.  Turnus  aimed  a 
mighty  blow  at  y^neas,  raising  himself  on  tiptoes, 
and  addino^  to  the  force  of  the  stroke  the  whole 
weight  of  his  body.  But  the  blade  snapped  in  two 
as  it  struck  the  armor  of  the  Trojan  hero,  thus  leav- 
ing the  Rutulian  chief  at  the  mercy  of  his  foe.  The 
weapon  was  one  he  had  hastily  snatched  up  instead 
of  his  own  when  mounting  his  chariot  for  the  first 
fight  of  the  day.  It  had  served  his  purpose  so  long  as 
he  used  it  only  on  fleeing  Trojans,  but  when  it  came 
against  the  armor  made  by  Vulcan  it  broke  like 
ice.  The  unfortunate  Rutulian  now  turned  and  fled 
over  the  field,  calling  loudly  on  his  friends  to  bring 
him  his  sword.  Tineas  followed  in  pursuit,  threat- 
ening death  to  any  one  who  should  venture  to  ap- 
proach, and  thus  five  times  round  the  lists  they  ran. 

Five  times  they  circle  round  the  place, 
•Five  times  the  winding  course  retrace  ; 
No  trivial  game  is  here  ;  the  strife 
Is  waged  for  Turnus'  own  dear  life. 

CoNiNGTON,  Mneidy  Book  XII. 

Findino^  that  he  could  not  overtake  the  fleeins: 
Turnus,  ^neas  resolved  again  to  make  trial  of  his 
celestial  spear.  At  the  outset  of  the  combat,  he  had 
hurled  this  weapon  with  such  force,  that  it  fixed 
itself  deep  in  the  stump  of  a  wild  olive  tree  that 
stood  in  the  field.      The  tree   had  been  sacred  to 


198 

the  deity  Faunus,  but  the  Trojans  had  cut  it  down 
to  make  a  clear  ground  for  their  military  movements. 
When  yEneas  attempted  to  wrench  the  spear  out, 
Turnus  prayed  to  Faunus  to  detain  the  weapon. 

"  O  Faunus  !  pity  !  and  thou,  mother  Earth, 
Where  I  thy  foster-son  received  my  birth, 
Hold  fast  the  steel  !     If  my  religious  hand 
Your  plant  has  honored,  which  your  foes  profaned, 
Propitious  hear  my  pious  prayer." 

Drvden,  Mneid,  Book  XII. 

But  now  the  power  of  the  gods  was  exercised  on 
behalf  of  both  heroes.  While  y^neas  struoro-led  in 
vain  to  extricate  the  javelin,  Juturna,  again  taking 
the  form  of  Metiscus,  ran  forward  to  her  brother 
and  gave  him  his  own  sword.  Then  Venus  came  to 
the  aid  of  her  son,  and  the  steel  was  easily  drawn 
from  the  tough  root.  Once  more  the  two  chiefs 
stood  ready  for  the  combat,  the  one  relying  on  his 
trusty  sword,  the  other,  on  the  spear  which  a  god 
had  made. 

Meanwhile  the  goddess  Juno,  sitting  in  a  yellow 
cloud,  was  watching  the  combat,  and  Jupiter,  com- 
ing near,  advised  her  to  abandon  her  hopeless  enmity 
to  the  Trojans,  and  forbade  her  to  further  resist  the 
decree  of  heaven.  Juno  was  now  ready  to  yield, 
but  on  one  condition  — "  When  by  this  marriage 
they  establish  peace,  let  the  people  of  Latium  retain 


199 

their  ancient  name  and  language.  Let  Latium  sub- 
sist. Let  the  sons  of  Rome  rise  to  imperial  power 
by  means  of  Italian  valor.  Troy  has  perished.  Let 
the  name  also  perish."  To  this  the  king  of  heaven 
replied :  "  I  grant  what  you  desire.  The  Italians 
shall  retain  their  native  lans^uacre  and  customs. 
The  Trojans  shall  settle  in  Latium  and  mingle  with 
its  people  and  all  shall  be  called  Latins  and  have 
but  one  speech." 

"  All  shall  be  Latium;  Troy  without  a  name; 
And  her  lost  sons  forget  from  whence  they  came. 
From  blood  so  mixed  a  pious  race  shall  flow, 
Equal  to  gods,  excelling  all  below. 
No  nation  more  respect  to  you  shall  pay, 
Or  greater  offerings  on  your  altars  lay.  " 
Juno  consents,  well  pleased  that  her  desires 
Had  found  success,  and  from  the  cloud  retires. 

Drvden,  ^ncidy  Book  XH. 

Then  Jupiter  sent  one  of  the  Furies  down  to  the 
field  of  battle,  in  the  form  of  an  owl,  and  the  evil 
bird  flew  backwards  and  forw^ards  in  the  sight  of 
Turnus,  flapping  its  wings.  The  chief,  knowing 
that  this  was  an  unfavorable  omen,  hesitated  to 
advance,  and  .Eneas  calling  to  him  aloud  cried, 
"  Turnus,  why  do  you  further  decline  to  fight.?  It 
is  not  in  running  that  we  must  now  try  our  skill, 
but  with  arms  in  close  conflict."  "  I  have  no  fear  of 
you,  insulting  foe,"  answered  Turnus.     "  My  dread 


200 

is  of  the  gods,  who  are  against  me."  As  he  spoke, 
he  saw  on  the  ground  before  him  a  huge  stone,  such 
as  only  a  man  of  giant  strength  could  lift.  Seizing 
it  and  poising  it  over  his  head  he  rushed  forward, 
and  hurled  it  against  the  enemy. 

But  wildering  fears  his  mind  unman; 
Running,  lie  knew  not  that  he  ran, 

Nor  throwing  that  he  threw; 
Heavily  move  his  sinking  knees; 
The  streams  of  life  wax  dull  and  freeze; 
The  stone,  as  through  the  void  it  passed. 
Reached  not  the  measure  of  its  cast, 

Nor  held  its  purpose  true. 

Conington;  Mneid^  Book  XII. 

y^neas,  now  taking  careful  aim,  and  putting  forth 
the  whole  strength  of  his  body,  hurled  his  fatal 
spear.  Like  a  whirlwind  it  fiew,  and  with  mighty 
force  breaking  through  the  shield  and  corselet  of 
the  Rutulian  chief,  pierced  his  thigh.  Down  to  the 
earth  he  sank  on  his  knees,  and  the  Trojan  chief 
rushed  forward  sword  in  hand.  Then  the  van- 
quished hero  besought  the  conqueror :  "  I  have 
deserved  my  fate,  and  I  do  not  deprecate  it,  yet  if 
any  regard  for  an  unhappy  father  can  move  you, 
have  compassion  on  the  aged  Daunus.  You  too 
had  such  a  father.  You  have  triumphed.  Lavinia 
is  yours.     Persist  not  further  in  hate." 

i^neas  was   much   affected  by  this  appeal.      It 


20I 

almost  moved  him  to  spare  the  Hfe  of  his  foe,  but  the 
belt  of  Pallas  which  the  wounded  man  wore  sealed 
his  fate.  As  soon  as  it  caught  the  eye  of  the  Trojan 
he  raised  his  sword  and  with  one  blow  avenged  the 
death  of  the  brave  son  of  Evander. 

Then,  roused  anew  to  wrath,  he  loudly  cries 

(Flames,  while  he  spoke,  came  flashing  from  his  eyes), 

*'  Traitor!  dost  thou,  dost  thou  to  grace  pretend, 

Clad,  as  thou  art,  in  trophies  of  my  friend  ? 

To  his  sad  soul  a  grateful  offering  go! 

'Tis  Pallas,  Pallas  gives  this  deadly  blow!" 

He  raised  his  arm  aloft,  and  at  the  word. 

Deep  in  his  bosom  drove  the  shining  sword. 

The  streaming  blood  distained  his  arms  around; 

And  the  disdainful  soul  came  rushing  through  the  wound. 

Dryden,  /Eneid,  Book  XII. 


Here  ends  the  story  of  y^neas  as  related  by  Ver- 
gil. There  was  no  more  to  be  told,  that  could 
properly  come  within  the  limits  of  the  subject,  as 
set  forth  in  the  opening  lines  of  the  yEneid : 

Arms  and  the  man  I  sing,  who,  forced  by  Fate, 
And  haughty  Juno's  unrelenting  hate. 
Expelled  and  exiled,  left  the  Trojan  shore. 
Long  labors,  both  by  sea  and  land,  he  bore, 
And  in  the  doubtful  war,  before  he  won 
The  Latian  realm,  and  built  the  destined  town. 


202 


The  poet  undertook  to  tell  about  the  wanderings 
of  the  hero,  and  his  long  labors  both  by  sea  and 
land,  up  to  the  time  he  won  a  settlement  in  Italy. 
This  was  accomplished  by  the  death  of  Turnus, 
which  put  an  end  to  the  war.  The  brave  Rutulian 
chief  made  a  gallant  fight,  but  the  fates  were  against 
him.  He  would  probably  have  been  the  victor  had 
his  antagonist  been  any  other  than  the  man  of  des- 
tiny, who  had  the  decrees  of  heaven  always  on  his 
side. 

As  to  the  subsequent  history  of  yEneas,  the  Ro- 
man traditions  tell  us  that  he  married  the  princess 
Lavinia,  and  built  a  city  which  was  called  after  her 
name  —  Lavinium.  Upon  the  death  of  his  father-in^ 
law,  Latinus,  he  became  king  of  Latium.  But  though 
he  was  then  in  possession  of  his  long  promised  set- 
tlement, his  wars  were  not  entirely  over,  for  we  are 
told  that  he  fought  a  battle  with  the  Rutulians  who, 
though  their  king  was  dead,  were  still  unwilling  to 
submit  to  a  foreis^ner.  In  this  battle,  which  took 
place  on  the  bank  of  the  river  Numicus,  the  Trojan 
hero  mysteriously  disappeared  and  was  seen  no  more. 
Some  say  he  was  drowned  in  the  river,  and  that  the 
Latins,  not  finding  the  body,  supposed  he  had  been 
taken  up  to  heaven,  and  therefore  offered  him  sacri- 
fices as  a  Q^od. 

On  the  death  of  the  hero,  his  son  lulus  succeeded 


203 

him,  and  built  the  city  of  Alba  Longa,  which  was 
ruled  for  many  centuries  by  kings  of  the  line  of 
^neas,  whose  descendants  were  the  founders  of 
Rome. 

From  whence  the  race  of  Alban  Fathers  come, 
And  the  long  glories  of  majestic  Rome. 


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